Cold Blood
by ssoko
Summary: All the traces point to him but... could be Tarzan a murderer? completed
1. Cold Blood 1

**Typical declaration**: I don't own any of the characters, story, and series of Tarzan. Edgar Rice Burroughs and WB created them. I'm not selling, or making any kind of profit off of this story I've written. No infringement is intended. This is solely for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of others. (At last that is what I hope)

I'm not english speaker so I'm apologize for any typo or syntax mistake you could find.

**Cold blood**

"No!" John yelled desperately. "Come back!" He demanded angrily getting up trying to reach her but the handcuff didn't let him move. He was chained to the wall. She spun her head and, with tears in her eyes, she closed the door. Furiously he roared kicking the desk. "You can't leave me this way!" The wooden furniture cracked under his knee's blow but nobody came. He was alone with his rage. Slowly he sat down. "I can't believe what you just said Jane," He snarled once more slamming the desk, "you love me… you love me…" Then he collapsed, "It is not the end… it can't end this way…" But even he tried to lie himself, the truth was there. He swallowed his tears but the pain was like a knife crossing his heart. All he wanted was to be with her, but she… Why didn't she? "Why did you betray me?" There was no answer.

From the other side of the mirror two brown aching eyes watched him. "It's my fault," She murmured as Sam leaned his hand on her shoulder fatherly, "I should know it." Detective Porter made a useless effort trying not to cry. "Now a second person is dead, and it's because of me… again."

"Michael's death was an accident Jane" Her partner tried to find words of wisdom to eased her pain. "But this time the evidences against him are overwhelming." The black detective looked at John Clayton Jr, a.k.a. Tarzan. The long haired blond barefoot man had helped them to solve the most intricate cases. How could a hero turned to be a murder? 'The jealousies are bad consultants' he thought.

Inside the shielded room John Clayton Jr, whom one day was brought forcibly by his uncle to this city, asked with painful voice. "Why didn't you leave me alone in the jungle Richard? Why did you bring me here? I hate you!" His desperate cry smashed against the walls, "I hate you!" Heavily he let fall his head. His mind wandered through the passageways of the memory returning to the previous day, when the hope still existed. Until he knew that someone else was in Jane's life.

How could it be? How it was possible? She belonged with him… only with him. There was no other man could ever loved her like him. No man but him could be in her life… why didn't she understand it?

The image of the day before paraded in front of his memory.

"_John there is something important I have to tell you" _Her words sounded into his mind once again._ "There is some one new in my life… I really don't know how it happened, I took all the precautions but it happened anyway. And I want to be honest with you…" _

Someone new in her life… he didn't let her finished to talk. He couldn't listen anymore. Jane was his, only his.

…. The day before ….

_The tall light brown haired man walked through the mansion's front door. It was the second time in this week that Kathleen Clayton called him urgently for her nephew. He frowned asking, "What happened this time?" It wasn't his pleasure to come at midnight._

"_Sorry doctor Wilcox!" she said really worried, "He is furious. I really don't know what to do."_

"_You know that I can't assist him anymore." He stated. "It is not professional. I'm involved personally in this problem so I really can't help him Ms. Clayton"_

"_But he is completely lost. He and Jane had a fight this evening," she said confirming his suspicions. "I really don't know why, he won't talk about it." She swallowed hard as they climbing the stair. He is really upset but he asked for you. Maybe you would able to talk to him"_

"_Ok Ms. Clayton, don't worry." He stepped ahead entering into the atrium, "Maybe I should talk to him alone."_

_She nodded letting him doing his job. He had been John's psychiatrist by almost six months. _

_John Clayton Jr. was a peculiar and fascinating case. A kid lost in the jungle during twenty years and brought forcibly for his uncle. It was logical that John felt himself lost in this city and hopelessly looked for column to hold and apparently he had found it in the authoritarian figure of a New York policewoman, Detective Jane Porter. He couldn't hold a heavy sigh. 'Ask for your help was my first mistake…'_

_The atrium was upside down. "Have you been practicing break-the-damn-chair-against-the-wall again John?" No sound came. Dr. Wilcox walked to the center of the enclosure. "I know you're here John." He placed his briefcase on the stone bench. "We played this game before John. And it end the same way always, so, why don't you came here." He took a syringe, a needle and a flask and started to assemble the device._

"_My name is Tarzan" A husky voice sounded above him._

"_Tarzan, the ape-man. But I like to call you for your Christian name." Both man stared each other gaze. Then the doctor smirked. "You freak out your aunt with your little demonstration of power." Looking around he added, "And I don't blame her, you really demolished the place pal." Tarzan fell silently on the ground behind his back. "What happened? Why are you so angry?"_

"_There is man that wants to take Jane away from me… she admitted that she have feeling for him" Tarzan said watching carefully the doctor reaction._

"_Did she tell you his name?"_

"_No" The ape-man came closer but Wilcox kept serene, unperturbed. "But I have my suspicions…"_

"_Ok. But first I have to administrate you this sedative." The doctor showed him the needle. "Then we can talk." Tarzan stretched his bare arm. Wilcox's hand grabbed it and injected the medication. He was too near so the ape-man's nose could perceive his fear as the liquid was introduced inside his artery. "I'm glad that you lost your fear to the needles" Wilcox whispered. _

_John smiled, his eyes sparked with cynicism. "I still hate them." He approached his nose to the doctor's sleeve. "But I needed to confirm my suspicions." His feature darkened as he stated. "You had been with her recently." Gazing at him he asked, "Are you the other man?"_

_The doctor didn't answer. "You will feel sleepy in a few seconds John." _

_John's lids began to weigh too much. "I want to know…Larry." Tarzan muttered as Wilcox held him and helped him to lean back on the stone bench. _

"_You know, I never lied to you and I don't start now." He sighed heavily watching the ape-man recumbent on the rock's furniture. "You're right. I was with her this evening. But she rejected me. I really didn't know she felt the same… I had to thank you for that information pal."_

_John stirred frustratingly on his stone bed. His arm seemed to weigh a ton. Doctor Wilcox stood near him waiting to the drug made effect on his organism. After five minutes John's body relaxed as his breathing became normal again. The physician checked his pupils. His patience was alright. Now he could start with their chat even it would be difficult for John to move his lips still. _

'_It wouldn't be easy' the doctor told to himself and start to talk. "I know you can hear me. The sedative I gave you will relax your muscles. In one hour you will move normally again." Wilcox started to pace nervously. "What I have to say… it won't please you, I know." It took him some second to find the correct word to explain the situation. "It was hard for me to recognize my absolute lack of control of this situation. It is my fault. I should know it was a mistake to involve her in this problem. Honestly I believed that it could help you if both of us worked together. I never expected… I never imagine…" It was hard even to mumble these words in front of him, "I never expected to feel such attraction… but it happened. I would… I should have foreseen what would happen, but…" heavily he sighed, "I couldn't control my heart and I fell in love with her."_

"_But she was with me…" Tarzan muttered._

_Wilcox frowned. "I know… That's why I stepped back John…" The doctor found hard kept walking so he stopped facing John's judging eyes. "You know that I'm not lying. I had to talk to her. I had to be honest with her explaining the real reason why I couldn't be your psychoanalyst any longer." He smirked, "she explained me what she felt and I accepted her rejection… but John. If you are right and she lied to me because she felt tied to you… I wouldn't give up on her. And I will try to win her." He felt the anger growing inside his peculiar patience. "Now I have to go." Tarzan watched him to pick the briefcase up. "I'm really sorry but it would be unforgivable to let escape my chance to be happy." The doctor said walking to the exit. "Good-bye John. I hope the best man will win her heart."_

_Tarzan puffed irritatingly. "You're wrong Larry," He screamed, "I wouldn't let you win her… she is my mate, my woman."_

………………..

Her brown eyes watched him stroll. He was like a caged animal passing back and forth. It was too painful see him that way, but it was unbearably agonizing looking at his empty side of the bed.

She couldn't sleep and after hundred of turns she got up and decided to talk to him again. Was she a fool to expect that the evidence will be wrong? Why she was looking for a tiny light of hope still? It was silly and completely foolish but she was here expecting a miracle.

The cell door opened slowly letting her enter to the padded room. She heard the guard's warning but she didn't listen to his words. All her attention was on the barefoot man standing in front of her.

"Why are you here?" he asked with frozen tone as the guard closed the door let them be alone.

"I need to know the truth John…" She made an effort not to loose her voice, "Why did you kill him?"

He turned to see her face, "You know why… you betray me falling for this man." He stepped ahead and she stepped back, "You 'are' my woman, my mate and no man other than me could touch your body." The wall stopped her pace. "You are mine, only mine." Her brain went blank feeling his breath as he sniffed her. Cocking his head he asked again, "Why are you here?" She didn't answer. She refused to think why she was there yearning his hand on her body. He grinned. He didn't need her voice to understand what she need, what she was looking him for. He caught her body against the wall pressing his on her.

"John stop…" it was a feeble whisper…

"You came here for this…" his hands on her hips slipped down, "you are mine, only mine" He repeated stroking her intimate feminine place.

Their breathing became hard and heavy as his fingers began to unzip her pants. As one hand went down, the other started to travel up a long her body. All rational thought ran away from her brain, she was lost under his touch. She only could enfold her arms around his neck and surrender to their passion.

Cupping her breast he claimed her lips. He wasn't on control either necking her desperately. Slowly his hand left her breast and went up. "You are mine, only mine…" He stated as his hand surrounded her neck, unhurriedly he began to press, "If I can't have you, no one will have…" He added as his fingers compressed her windpipe, "no one will touch you again…"

She opened her mouth trying to breathe sitting up abruptly in the bed. Touching her neck she repeated over and over again, "it was a nightmare… only a nightmare." But it seemed to be so real. Sighing she leaned her back on the bed's endorse.

Why she dreamt such ugly thing? Was she afraid of him? And if she really was, how could she face him again? She caressed her belly tenderly. She needed to consider all the different tips of this problem.

It was disconcerting. Lying and hiding it caused Michael's death. It was a fault she would never repeat. And now when she tried to be open with John, it seemed she was the responsible of Larry's death. Again they were involved in a murder case. Once again someone is dead because of her. But even she hopelessly wished that he were innocent, the evidences incriminated him. The broken windows with his blood on some glasses fragments, his fingertips on the homicidal knife.

"Why did you do this John?" she sobbed, "Why didn't you trust me?"

She didn't know if she could face alone what will came. The day before yesterday should have been a cheerful day but it became a nightmare. Oh! How she wanted to wake up and find out that it was just a silly dream…

But it wasn't a dream.

Her tears began to fall.

She hugged her pillow hoping her cry washed her anguish and bitterness, but crying all night long couldn't be enough to wash all her concern, pain and desperations.

…………………….

The barefoot blond man was sitting still in the iron chair, a length of thick chain came from his ankle and embedded into the wall. Four strongly armed men watched over the cell door. The attorney got up annoyingly. The lawyer's firm put him in this predicament. The Clayton's kid wasn't an easy task. He had been asking the same question for fifteen minutes and the reply was always the same, silence. How could he do what they demand if his defend didn't want to cooperate, didn't want to talk, didn't want to look at him? The frustrated lawyer touched his shoulder obtaining a threatening grunt. He pulled back his hand quickly. "Mr. Clayton" He said losing his composure, "I can't help you if you don't tell me what happened." Sighing he asked again, "¿Why do you went to Dr. Wilcox's office?"

John's legs stretched as his mind started to remember the events of that unpleasant night. These were confusing memories but he was sure of one thing, he was furious.

…… Flash back ……

_His eyes difficulty opened up and the blurred surrounding started to clear. Tarzan found himself reclined on the stone bench inside the Atrium. From a distantchurch's steeple came three strokes of a bell_.

_He felt dizzy and his head ached. His brain was a chaos but he could move his arms and legs. Perhaps what the doctor gave him began to lose effect. Slowly he got up and wobblingly walked toward the balcony. His hands rested on the rail. The night's fresh air hit his face clearing the torpidity from his blunted mind._

_The last doctor's words resounded into his mind. 'I will try to win her…' A cold chill traveled across his spine. Although he didn't know how, he had to stop this man. He scanned the area searching Wilcox's scent, sniffing he began to follow the odorous print._

_To descend the wall wasn't an easy task being lightheaded. He slipped several times until he fell abruptly to the asphalt reaching the street. Strange noises hindered his senses. Roars, screams and cries perforated his hearings. Odd voices sounded into his mind. He needed to make an effort to separate the real sounds of those his mind made-up. Shaking his head he attempted to thrown them form his brain. _

_His bare feet, following the doctor's scent, walked along the streets until he arrived, finally, to the well-known building where Wilcox had his consulting-room. The curtains were closed, but someone was inside. He could perceive two silhouettes through the cloth. They were entangled._

_Tarzan felt a throbbing jab on his right arm, waves of muscular spasms traveled under his skin. His body writhed with the pain so he had to sit down on the sidewalk. His body was numb still and the voices into his head didn't disappear. What was happening to him? Why he couldn't control his beating hart and this odd sensation growing inside him? _

_Tarzan hugged his knees and started to move back and forth. He raised his head trying to focus his bloodshot eyes on the windows. The light was gone. Staring at the window he got up slowly. His breathing became agitated as he stepped ahead touching the wall. Under his fingertips the stone commanded him, 'go up.' Difficultly he started to climb._

_After ten endless minutes he reached at the windowsill. There was not doubt into his mind anymore. With a single strong kick he broke the windows glass. As his hand touched the window frame the broken glass was buried deeply into his flesh. A red line of blood furrowed down the wall…_


	2. Cold Blood 2

With a single glance any distracted walker could guess that that was a crime scene. The pack of forensic investigators surrounded a huge broken window and a great stain of blood scattered over the floor, where a white line drew a human figure beside the brown armchair sprinkled of red stains.

Detective Porter leaned on the frame door of Wilcox's consulting-room. '_God! It seemed a tornado had passed over here_.' She thought looking at the spreading furniture. '_What am I doing? It's a mistake to be here_.' Although her brain screamed at her '_Get out of there_!' she took a step ahead.

Everyone worked absorbed into its job so no one paid attention to the reddish-brown woman with a badge hung from her belt. She was just one of the dozen policemen inside the apartment.

She approached to one of the physician who carefully was collecting, with a forceps, some samples of the dry blood on the wall. The amber skin man, with Arabian physiognomy and two huge expressive brown eyes, ogled the feminine figure near him. Solicitously, with a wide smile on his face, he raised asking in a perfect English accent, "What can I do for you Detective?" She hesitated and he misinterpreted her vacillation. "My parents were from India but I'm a genuine English gentleman." He assured grinning, "Let me introduce myself," with a reverence, "Dr. Mehesh Vijayaraghavensatyanaryanamurthy."

She smiled at him when a voice whispered near her ear. "We call him 'Bug.' His name is a real tongue twister." She spun her head finding a tall, extremely thin and long straight hair man. "Dr. Nigel Townsend, at your service." He introduced himself shaking vigorously her hand.

Jane couldn't help but smile when 'bug' elbowed his partner. "I'm talking to detective Porter!"

Smiling Nigel added. "Now 'we' are talking with Detective Porter. It is not necessary to be rude my friend. What can do for you Detective?"

Jane smirked, it wasn't right what she was doing. Once again she put her super-ego aside and asked. "Could you tell me the outstanding detail of the case up till now? I just came and… I didn't make my homework." She showed her best please-save-me face.

Both men start to talk at the same time, but Nigel followed the explanation with teacher's tone. "Up till now we can establish that the victim had died because of multiple stabs. We have found two types of blood on his body, one of himself and other from the presumably homicide, John Clayton Jr." He whispered gossiping, "It seems that his wife had an affair with the dear doctor and her jealous husband stabbed him."

"Clayton's wife didn't have an affair with Wilcox." She affirmed upsettingly. "How do you know that Clayton stabbed the victim?" It wasn't easy to remain calm and composed hearing those words but she swallowed her anger and kept listen to them.

"His finger prints and blood was on the homicidal weapon." Bug answered. "A night guard surprised him leaned over the victim with the knife in his hand."

"It seems that the guy was drugged." Nigel continued, "The results of his blood test are not still available but presumably the guy used some kind of anabolic drug. He was disoriented but ten policemen couldn't stop him. Seven still are at the hospital with several broken bones."

She didn't reply, just smiled at them. "Something else?"

They looked at each other. "We have to wait that Jordan… Dr. Cavanaugh finishes the victim's autopsy."

Even she had wanted to get more information she was endangering herself too much. After a quick good-bye exchange between them she walked out of the room. She left the building without incidents.

Walking on the sidewalk she started to think. She had enough material into her brain. No matter how much she analyzed the facts, something didn't fit in the panorama schematized by the forensic investigators. John hated needles and he could detect any substance into his meal or drink. How he got drugged? And if he was really drugged… maybe John didn't know what he was doing.

Suddenly she stopped her stroll on the sidewalk. "Where John took the knife?" He didn't use any weapon. Was a knife in the Larry's consulting-office? Perhaps John and Larry had fight and… Could be an accident? She presumed that John killed him and she didn't let him a chance to explain what happened. How many times had she accused him of being intransigent, inflexible and stubborn? And now she had behaved the same way. She didn't talk with Kathleen since John's arrest and maybe she had priceless information. '_I am a fool,'_ the Detective reproached herself walking faster toward the mansion.

……………………

His sad green-blue eyes scanned the limpid sky. It was his first time in the prison backyard which was surrounded by high walls. Nothing would stop him if he wanted to climb. But there was no reason to escape, nobody on the other side of the wall was waiting for him. He was alone.

His anger turned to deep blues that were nailed deep into his heart. Loosing Jane implied he was losing his whole world. The memory of her scent impregnated his memory. The same scent he perceived in Larry's office two nights ago. The outline of two entangled figures in the window and her perfume combined perfectly into his recollection. She was there, he didn't doubt it. Everything else was confusion. He pressed his temples. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't remember what had happened after breaking the window glass. It was frustrating and disturbing at the same time. Had he killed him? That was a question he couldn't honestly answer. Everyone, even Jane, was sure that he had killed the doctor but he couldn't remember it, although he had a powerful reason to kill him.

Tarzan sighed heavily. He had trusted Larry, he had followed his advice and the man had betrayed him. John was aware that he needed to control his temper and his aggressive respond to the outside world. Dr. Wilcox seemed to understand what was happening inside him.

At first everything was alright, but one day John had introduced the doctor to his wife. They harmonized quickly. It was Larry's advise to start therapy together. John perceived the change in Larry's scent almost immediately after knowing Jane. But his wife scent changed gradually as the relationship deteriorated. Why had everything worsened when it should have improved? Progressively the couple began to fight until the coexistence had become almost intolerable. An intriguing thought crossed his mind. Could 'that' have been Larry's plan from the beginning?

Lost inside his lucubration Tarzan perceived a corpulent body sitting down next to him. "Hi goldilocks," he mocked. "Are you dreaming of your boyfriend?" His crowd laughed. The ape-man eyed the five hulks standing around him. The humans were not too much different from the simians he knew. The alpha male was here to clarify who was the leader of the pack. Tarzan didn't reply, he was not interested in his leadership. "I'm talking to you goldilocks." The guy said pushing him. John grunted but the fellow didn't understand his warning. "Do you know what we do with rabid dogs like you?" from his pocket the brainless guy extracted a knife, its blade straightened before the ape-man eyes, "we castrate…" He couldn't finish the sentence. None of his five henchmen was on their foot after John spun hitting their feet with his out stretched leg. John rose abruptly enfolding the jerk's neck with his hand, without reacting, the boaster's back hit the wall near him.

The guards ran to control the convicts. Each guard right hand brandished a stick. One of them tried to hit the ape-man. John sighed, the humans were so predictable. Without detaching his hand from the stupid fellow's neck, he grabbed the stick with his free hand and with a simple twist of wrist he broke it. Everyone around stopped when they heard the wood break.

Threateningly Tarzan's head spun gazing to the fearful guy caught among his fingers. "Don't you dare to bother me again." The pale guy fell down from the fence as he loosened his grip. Exhaling noisily he walked toward the guards. "You can take me to my cell. I won't resist." He said walking inside. The guards followed him at prudent distance.

…….…

"You loose the notion of the time when you're in jail kid." The old man cleared the throat and spit aside.

"I'm not a kid Horace!" the barefoot man protested hitting the wall several times as he walked.

"At my age everyone else is a 'kid', kid." The elder grunted. "Soon I will celebrate my fiftieth year locked here. So trust me, calm down, sit down and saves your strength. You had spent only four days here, but probably this room will be your residence for long time." His room mate snorted annoyingly and anxiously, but he didn't stop to pace back and forth. '_God!_ _He is a weird and funny kid._' Horace thought watching him move as a caged animal. '_It's weird his way to walk, his way to balance his arms and his head. He seemed to be a giant simian_…' the old man smirkedleaning on the ruined chair. _'Who knows, maybe he is the missing link!_' Truth must been told, he didn't care what the kid was or wanted to be, Horace lived better since the savage Clayton arrived at the prison. After the backyard's incident no one dared to bother him again. Even he stopped two fights just grunting loud. So the old man chose to seat near him looking for his protection and this newly strange friendship began.

A guard approached to the bars hitting it with his cane, "Clayton you have a visit!" John grunted and the man stepped back yelling "I don't fear you Clayton. Shut up." But it was obvious that he was intimidated by the blond-barefoot man.

The alpha grinned mumbling something intelligible as he crossed his arms over his wide chest, then he assured. "I'll behave." Reluctantly the guard opened the cell door. Clayton never attacked any guard up till now.

Tarzan was excited, thrilled and nervous at the same time. Nobody had come to visit him since he had broken all the furniture into the detention room when Jane… his heart ached just remembering her words. Opposed feelings furrowed his heart thinking that she could come to see him. He terribly missed her but the deep wound that she caused still festered.

Crestfallenly, pensively, sunk into his awful thoughts, the ape-man was driven into an enclosure with twenty armored glass's cubicles. "Take a seat and wait," was the guard command. Slowly he sat down watching distractedly at the anguish spectacle around him: disturbed people walking, bitter tears eyes, whispers, pain, and armed guards everywhere.

His traveling eyes stopped at the meticulously shaving face that smiled at him mockingly. Tarzan's facial expression darkened. How had he dared? "Leave!" John said without hiding his dislike.

"That is the way you treat the only person that has come to see you! I'm deeply wounded." The man said with disdainful tone.

"Leave!" He repeated forcing his rigid jaw. He was the last person John wanted to see.

"When will you recognize what I did for you?"

"I recognize it. That's why I can't forgive you." John made an awkward silence, "Dear uncle…"

Richard laughed at first but his tone became more serious watching his nephew's grimace, then he assured. "It was matter of time boy." Some dark shadow crossed his eyes. "You're too naïve." with no jeer rake on his face he confessed. "I didn't come here to make fun of you." It was difficult for the old man. No matter how he tried, Kath and John's personal bitch had poisoned his nephew's mind. "Although you don't want to recognize it," he panted assuring, "I love you John. I'm here to make you open your eyes and help you."

"The word 'help' is out of your vocabulary."

The successful businessman sighed. "You're a fool John. She has deceived you and now you're gonna spend the rest of your life paying it if you don't wake up and defend yourself." John's face expression change lightly and Richard sketched his ironic smile again. "This bitch caught you out, she did it very well by the way. She married you, looked for a lover, and told you what she did knowing exactly what you will do. The beast inside you runs to kill him. You end up here and she can gladly enjoy your money."

John grinned shaking his head. "The criminal sees criminal behavior in everyone around him."

"Ok. Don't listen to me." Richard rose from his seat, "but look where you are and why. It was a pleasure to see you again." He said as he turned leaving the cubicle.

Tarzan stared at the empty seat. He was shocked by Richard's statement. His uncle had a vicious and gnarled mind. Jane had never made on purpose something like that. Didn't she?

He hadn't moved of his chair when a slender blond woman occupied the seat abandoned by Richard some seconds ago. Their gaze intertwined. She stayed there looking at him for more than one minute. Finally she spoke. "I had to watch the face of Larry's murderer once more." Her eyes seemed empty, cold, something lacked inside her. "The one I love had died because of you. He was the most important thing in my life." Neither a tear leaned out of her eyes when she got up, slowly, leaning in. Her nose touched the glass and, with a chilly tone that froze Tarzan's heart, she assured. "I will do the same to you…"

……………..

"Porter!" Captain Connor's voice screeched behind her back. Instinctively the detective held up his hands defensively, "Came to my office, now!"

Although at the beginning it was just a stubborn reaction to the Clayton family requirements, Jane was glad to keep her job after the wedding. Right now she needed to have her mind occupy with something else than her fears and sorrow. Besides her job let her do some investigations of Tarzan's case otherwise it would be impossible. Would Connor found out her little investigation on the crime scene?

"Close the door," her boss snorted from his desk pointing to the nearest seat, "and sit down"

'All you can say could be used against you, so the best strategy was to stay quiet girl.' She thought tearfully approaching to the desk.

The captain played with his pen for some seconds. She could perceive his nervousness, anxiety and concern. "Porter," he puffed trying to take away any hesitate tone of his voice, "I decided that you will have a bodyguard with you twenty-four hours a day."

She frowned, that was unexpected. "Sir…" she almost said '_it was the stupidest idea I ever heard_' but instead she asked. "Why do I need an escort?" Taking a calendar of the Connor's desk, "It's not fool's day so… I don't get the joke sir."

"I wish it would be a joke." He assured wearily, "Porter sit down and make it easy on yourself. What I have to say surly won't please you."

Now she was really scared. Connor was being too kind and that wasn't a good sign. Something hit her brain. "Is John alright?"

The captain smirked. "He is fine, but I can't say the same thing about the guards that tried to stop him when he ran away."

"Is he wounded?"

"Damn Porter!" he exploded, "Did you heard what I said?" How could this stupid woman be worried about that man? He could not really understand her. "You're in danger!"

She shook her head, his word didn't make sense. "He would never hurt me."

"Porter, you're too naïve or too stupid." Desperately the captain shot without mercy. "Your husband had killed his doctor coldly just because he dared to put his eyes on you. The man is like a jealous animal and he really is dangerous. When will you open your eyes and realize that you're in real danger?"

"Sir, with all respect, I think you're exaggerating."

"Jane." He sighed placing his big hand on hers. Fatherly he added, "The evidence spoke for themselves. He killed Wilcox deliberately."

She didn't know if it was or not the right place and moment but she couldn't hold back. "Sir, I suspect that John was under some drug effect…" she started to talk expressing all her doubts about John's case with a long monologue that the captain didn't interrupt. "Captain," as a final point she concluded, "I have not still been able to see the results of the analysis of his blood but I suspect that Wilcox drugged him. I revised the atrium trash and I found a flask and a syringe. They had Wilcox fingerprints." Before he could say something she quickly clarified. "Sam already gave it to the detective Hoyt."

Connor scratched his chin and with some irony he inquired. "Why Wilcox wanted to drug him?"

She just shrugged. "I don't know."

"You are making subterfuges refusing to see the reality around this case. I know it is painful but…"

"Captain." She interrupted him, "I know he can be unpredictable, choleric, uncivilized, obstinate and extremely volatile man. But up till now he had never damaged anybody without a reason."

"Never!" He wanted to laugh, "Porter you seem to forget what happened to Mike," he made a lingering silence, "and his uncle…"

She sighed, "What happen to Michael was an accident and Mike attacked him first, don't forget that he shoot him when John was unarmed." She exhaled noisily, "Personally I believe that John had more than enough reasons to want… to kill Richard, but he didn't." She said remembering the words that stopped him. He always trusted her, not her law, not her rules… "The emotional sequels that Richard Clayton caused on John were one of the reasons we asked for help to Doctor Wilcox." Her words kept coming oppressing her heart as she spoke, "Imagine what he should felt realizing that his psychiatrist, the man who supposed to help him, wanted her wife." Hearing her own word something awaked deep into her brain. Suddenly all his desperation showed up in front of her logic mind and she understood. Instead of helping him she had gotten angry worsening the situation. "Cap, talking to you it was better than my all counseling sessions." Both grinned.

He raised his hand, "Ok. Maybe there are some reasonable doubts in all of the crap that you said." He conceded. "Your husband ran away after his meeting with his uncle…"

"Son of the b…"

"Porter!" He warned loud.

She felt an angry wave crossed her temper. "Don't you see sir? He went there to make fun of John, that immoral bastard..."

The captain smoothed his tone. "Jane. I want a police squad be watching over you. I hope your husband won't harm you this time but just in case..."

She smirked. "Sir they couldn't stop him if he really wants to hurt me. There are already too many policemen in the hospital because they tried to stop him." She sighed touching her belly. "Sir, I have a lot of work to do…"

"Ok Porter. You can go now… but please at least let Sam be with you all the time."

She agreed standing up. It was useless to keep that discussion. No human was capable to stop Tarzan.

As she walked back to her desk her brain couldn't control the whirlpool of ideas and thoughts that were mixing inside. Maybe Connor was right and she was inventing subterfuges to hide the awful truth. '_Why do we get at this point Tarzan?_' She moved the chair and sat down. '_Everybody fears you, the Captain, Sam, Kathleen… God! Even I get scared the last time we talked at the atrium…' _She remembered her words, '_There is some one new in my life…' _She puffed.'_What am I gonna do with this new person into my life_?' Oh! Life delighted complicating her existence. Suddenly the morning nauseas appeared again, it was the second time this day. She inhaled deeply controlling her needs of vomiting. The nerves betrayed her and a stealthy tear escaped for the small tail of her eye.


	3. Cold Blood 3

It was completely crazy to be there, he knew it, but he couldn't help but stayed there watching over her. After all she was his mate and one of his duties was to protect her. Hidden in the highest spot of the nearest precinct building, the ape-man searched for the danger that threatened his wife's life.

He smiled rubbing a few long multicolored leaves on his wounded fingers. The comforts of his present civilized life hadn't spoiled him. He could control perfectly his pain. He found easily several plants during his night's incursions across the city. He recognized them using his jungle's experience. The healing powers of these plants were ignored by the civilized men, which supposedly smarter, that used them as mere decorations.

He checked on his back the reddish marks drawn by the prison guard's canes. They tried to stop his lunge against the glass where the woman, that had threatened Jane's life, was. Those men didn't understand his cry for help. All they did was to hit him harder. To stay there was useless.

_John Clayton Jr. had decided not to loose another second. Using some guard's shoulder as springboard support, he had jumped to the wall and ascended climbing it reaching to the nearest window. He had crossed through the window glass without difficulty. _

_He was too fast for them. The five men looked at themselves without being able to react. That window was forty feet above them; the wall was plain without any cracks on it. His powerful hearing had perceived one of them exclaiming. "No normal human being could have ascended there that way!" Other one replied, "He isn't human man!"_

_Running with his hands and legs as an ape, using the walls for support, he jumped zigzagging, avoiding the whistling bullets that bounced off the walls near him. Quickly he reached the rooftop. Only 33 feet long empty space separated him of the external wall. His freedom was behind that wall. Standing on his feet the ape-man speeded his race until his feet abandoned the concrete ground. His legs had pedaled following an invisible air path until his fingers seized the carpet of barbed wire at the wall. The pain was penetrating but he couldn't lose any second complaining. Adjusting his hands he raised his body above the wall placing one foot on it then he jumped out. His body relaxed as he fell down, each one of his muscles had shaken swishing but no bone was broken. Taking apart any sign of pain from his mind he ran down the street, turned on the corner and his aching hand hung him of a handrail. It was easy to climb reaching to the rooftop, there they couldn't catch him anymore._

_His mind came back to the present. As the thick glasses didn't let him perceive the woman's scent, he couldn't hunt for her. So he was exploring and watching precinct's surrounding area_.

It was getting dark and the wild Clayton still was in his sentry position when Jane's scent invaded his olfaction sense alerting him that she left the precinct walking through the main door.

She stopped sensing being watched, she made a turn of 360º but she didn't notice anything strange. The detective shrugged shaking her head. Connor's fears had spoiled enough her day. But her journey didn't end yet.

After a brief but hard argue with Sam she established that she didn't need an escort behind her. If Tarzan really wanted to hurt her a dozen of men couldn't stop him. Touching her belly she smiled. '_No he never harms me'_.

The green-aqua eyes followed her slow pace by the sidewalk. He cocked is head observing her placing her hands on her tummy. What was she thinking as she walked immersed on her daydream's world? He squeezed hardly his fists searching for control. His internal animal fought to get out impelling him to skip the distance between them, to take her into his arms and to run away from this hostile world that had only brought them regret and deception. Breathing hard his gaze turned to the street again, it seemed a crowded anthill. People transited walking in line, one by one, following two directions. Suddenly the wild Clayton noticed two blonde's heads moving transversely inside the human tide. They pushed hardly everyone that was on their path

Jane took her keys off her jacket pocket and inserted it into the car door. Tarzan's eyes traced an imaginary line glimpsing where those two hulk men walked. He jumped ahead descending quickest as he could when one of the men grabbed her arms turning her around while the second man discharged a violent punch on her abdomen. The detective bent for the pain and desperation shaking her arms desperately trying to unhook his grasp but her captor didn't let her move. Before she could emit a sound a second fist smashed sadistically against her belly even harder that the previous one but the third blow never came. The aggressor flew across the air smashing against the roof car that instantly began to howl.

Terrified the second guy tried to escape running but he tripped with the furious Sam's fist. The dark detective shook the blood of his fingers and kicked hard the guy face. "You're not going anywhere buddy…"

Jane's leg couldn't hold her weight and she collapsed as her arms surrounded her belly but she didn't reach to the ground, two powerful arms hugged her. Her voice got lost inside her desperate cry. The pain introduced into her belly in an unbearable way. Her eyes perceived as the defocused ground moved away. The world around her started to darken and the sounds diminished their volume until disappearing.

Her fingers squeezed frustratingly the car's handle. She had been so close but those men had come out of nowhere snatching her opportunity. She turned on the engine. She really wanted to run over them but she stopped when the wild barefoot blond man appeared jumping down. After him the police came running.

'Oh! He ran away from prison,' it amused her. 'Great. My revenge would not be complete without you here Mr. Clayton.'

Larry had been her life. She had been at his side almost fifteen years, being his confidant, his lover. She had no doubt, he was guilty. He was the responsible of her loss. He was the reason why she never will be able to hear his laugh or feel his delicate hands all over her body again. He had to pay.  
She watched how the ape-man thrown the hulk of a man across the air smashing him furiously against the windshield of his wife's car. He picked her up daintily and with the black cop took her to the hospital.

She followed them smiling. Oh! What irony! They were facilitating her job. She parked, took the blond wig off her head and the contact lenses that darkened her iris around the pupils and she descended of the car. She serenely crossed the main door. One of the nurses smiled at her. "Hi Helen." She smiled back, "Good evening Margaret." Going to her locker quickly she changed her clothes and walked to the emergency room.

There was Porter on a bed and beside her a doctor. "Hi Helen, you came early today." She approached him and asked what he need. "Great. Could you apply an injection of…" he explained with precise detail the drug specifying the quantity that should be administered. "The patient informed us that she is three or four weeks pregnant." 

Helen raised her head hearing him and grinned. 'Interesting news...' She walked to the drug counter and took two flasks. She inserted the needle in the second flask first. It was enough a few milliliters and the rest was filled with the correct drug. She placed the flask in their place again and kept working as the doctor indicated.

The drugs being separate would not produce effect, but combined, they would induce a hemorrhage. 'Oh! Sweet revenge.' She thought inserting the syringe's content on Jane's Blood-stream. 'Now I have to sit and wait.' Her vengeance had only just begun.

………………………

The nurse stepped back frightfully when her savage patient began to grunt audibly. "Don't worry. He had rabies vaccine" Sam joked trying to soften the tense situation. "Came on monkey boy, you want to see Jane, so let her do her job."

The ape-man stretched his arms so the nurse could end disinfecting his hand's deep laceration. The task wasn't hard even if her patient was handcuffed. But if he stopped grunting she could work quicker and easier. The man was really breath-taken and intimidating at the same time.

When she finished bandaging both hands from the barefoot-blond mouth escaped a pale "thank you," then he got up and leaved the room.

Sam came out running after his partner's husband. "Wait monkey boy." But the young Clayton didn't diminish his speed. Two policemen, guarding the consulting room door, grabbed instantly each Tarzan's arm trying to stop him but John kept walking dragging both of them.

Connor shook his head grinning. He had to admit that Porter was right, the man was unstoppable. Brandishing his hand the Captain ordered to his men, "leave him alone." Five minutes ago the doctor had told him the bad news and now he had to speak with Porter's husband. The man puffed angrily. It wasn't an easy task at all. '_Damn_' John Jr. was an intricate and complicated person. He witnessed when Clayton had become an uncontrollable wild beast beating the man that had hurt his wife. Ok, he couldn't blame him, he had probably behaved the same way. But what shocked observing the tenderness, gentleness and kindness of this man when he hugged his wife carrying her to Sam's car. Clayton didn't leave her side. His wounded hands needed medical care so the captain forced him to go to treated them. Once more he had to concede that Porter was right, this man never would hurt her. But he couldn't be sure about how he will react to the news. Connor saw an empty consulting room. Maybe a closed place would be the best option. "Mr. Clayton please came here," he pointed to the open door, "We have to talk. Sam can join us."

They stepped in as the Captain sat down on a desk. Clapping twice he looked for the right words to say but there was no way to soften it.

Tarzan sensed that something wrong was happen. With trembling voice he asked. "Is Jane alright?"

"Yeah." Connor exhaled noisily gathering all the needed courage. "But the beating affected the baby." Tarzan's eyes grew wide listening at his words. "She had a hemorrhage, lost too much blood and the doctors had to rasp inside her womb…" It was hard to him say those words. He simply could not utter them. "…I'm sorry."

Tarzan gazed at the captain. "She had a baby…" he was stunned, "… a baby… inside…"

"Sorry man." Sam whispered softly. "She lost your baby."

"She lost… my baby." The ape-man repeated without been able to react. "…my baby." He stood there as a marble statue, paralyzed, rigid and pale.

Daintily Sam leaned his hand on John's shoulder expecting his rejection. Jane's husband didn't like to be touched. But this time he didn't react. He didn't move at all. It wasn't a good sign, the detective began to worry.

More than five minutes had lapsed until Tarzan seemed to breathe again. He started to walk out searching for his wife's doctor. Connor and Sam followed him. The Captain had his hand resting on his gun, just in case.

Tarzan stood behind the doctor for some seconds and hesitantly asked "How long my baby lived?"

The doctor jumped hearing his voice, swallowed noisily, inspired courage and answered. "He lived four weeks approximately."

Sad tears gathered in his aqua-green eyes. "Is she ok?"

The doctor nodded. "She'll able to leave as soon as she wakes up." Seeing the huge man almost crying the doctor was impelled to assure, "You can have more kid sir, don't worry."

"Thanks." Tarzan muttered. So many things had happen so fast. Turning his head he implored to Jane's boss. "Can I see her?" Connor hesitated some seconds but finally agreed.

Sam screeched his chin. The news should hit him hardly. This wasn't monkey boy usual behavior. He was too much civilized. Weird. But thinking it, what could John do? There wasn't another way. He had to return to jail and face what the future afforded him.

Connor opened Jane's room's door. The green-aqua eyes nodded contemplating her sleepy figure on the bed. "Can I say good bye to her alone? Please."

"You have five minutes." The captain said closing the door. After all he didn't know how long Clayton had to wait to see his wife again. Poor man, life was treating him so badly.

Five, six… ten minutes passed and Clayton didn't show up. Connor looked at his watch then he knocked to the door saying, "Time to go Mr. Clayton."

Silence.

He knocked again.

Still silence.

Connor opened slowly the door and from his mouth a curse escaped. The room was empty and the window wide open.


	4. Cold Blood 4

Her eyelids slipped leisurely letting her perceive the fuzzy, hazy and blurred surrounding. As she tried to focus a white cold ceiling appeared above. Jane Porter Clayton blinked several times. Where was she? After a brief ocular search she realized that it was her old bedroom. How was it possible? She had left her old rented apartment when she got married. It was illogic, her old stuff were there.

'_Am I dreaming or sank into a Twilight zone TV movie?_' both options were irrational and not pleasant at all.

The morning sun, after a brief debate, could infiltrate through the thin curtains of the windows bathing the blanket covering her legs.

Jane was thirsty. Stretching her arm she tried to grab the glass of water on the night table. It felt rigid, numb. Then she noticed the mark of an intravenous needle on it. What had happened to her? As she drank the water eagerly her eyes slipped down. She chocked freaking out. A hospital robe was all she wore!

Carefully she placed the glass on the night table once again. She removed the robe discovering the faded bruise on her belly, but what shocked her most it was realize that her pubic hair was shaven.

As comic-book's images the last events returned to her mind: she had opened her car door, someone had held her arm preventing her to move while other man had confused her abdomen with a punching bag. Suddenly John's face broke through, then everything turned hazy, confused. The ambulance, the doctors, needles. She was sure of having warned them about her pregnancy.

'The baby!'

She couldn't understand why this empty feeling assaulted her. Intuitively Jane enfolded her belly, "My baby!" The emptiness of her womb twisted her heart. "Where is my babe?" But she knew the answer. It was simple calculation and the sum gave negative result.

Bitter tears gathered in her eyes. Life couldn't be as macabre and evil as to snatch the last bond she had with the man she was still in love.

Covering her face with both hands she began to cry. Everything was lost.

As the tears slid through her face two powerful arms surrounded her waist and daintily leaned her head over his warm and welcoming chest. With endless tenderness his hand caressed the weeping auburn mane. She closed her eyes and locked her mind. She needed to be exactly where she was. If, somehow, this embrace vanished losing that sensation of well-being and protection she might go crazy.

"Everything is gonna be alright." Jane heard Tarzan's husky voice whispering. She reacted hugging him tightly. If it was a dream she refused to wake up.

To John Clayton Jr. it was just an unbelievable miracle. It was hard to believe that he could be able to have her into his arms again. But here they were, together. He feared to breathe loud and this charming vision suddenly broke finding himself dreaming into his cell.

They lost the sense of time. The sun crossed the sky until disappearing completely under the river. He didn't dare to move from her side. Carefully he let her body reclined on the bed. It was a hard day and she needed to rest. It was a mixture of joy and bitterness. They were together, but what would happen once she wake up?

Life had both of them unusually and complicatedly tangled. He was aware that her life would be much easier without him. But he didn't know how to let her go. In fact he won't.

He smiled remembering Kathleen's complains when he exposed the idea of buying the old Jane's apartment. She didn't understand his reasons. He wanted to preserve intact the place where he had made love to her for the first time in his life. She was his first and last woman.

Supposedly it would be his gift for their first anniversary, but the events unchained later hindered his original intentions. So the place became his refuge. He could accesses in easily through the window, it was always open. It was very improbable that his aunt remembered his crazy idea, so the apartment became the best place to hide because it was not notarized under Clayton's name, but Porter's name.

They had to talk. He knew it, but how? Paradoxically one of the first advices that Larry gave him was to keep a fluid dialogue with his wife and it was the first broken thing when they began the therapy together.

The feral Clayton was accustomed to take advantage of what life offered him and this was a unique opportunity. Maybe now they could have a new chance. He didn't want to waste it.

He leaned on the bed next to her to watch over her startled sleeping. His finger split the falling rebel hair off her face. She was so beautiful that hurt looking at her. Giving to the temptation his arms enfolded pulling her closer. Upon his chest he felt her humid sadness slipped from her eyes washing any doubt, any resentment or any fear that he could have had.

……………………………

The flask smashed violently against the bottom of the plastic garbage can. The nurse snorted exasperatingly. Why everything was so difficult? Her plan had worked out as perfectly as she expected until the stupid simian escaped taking with him her victim. Adeptly she picked up every implement used in the emergency room and threw them to the incinerator. Smirking she made a good-bye gesture with her hand seeing the syringe melt erasing all traces of what she had done.

Watching the roasted plastic she realized that maybe the troglodyte did her a favor. She considered, '_If they find Jane Porter any trace of the hemorrhage's source would remain into her organism_.' The nurse rubbed her hands satisfied with the results of her plan as a mocking smile hung from her lips. No one could tie her to the Clayton's baby death.

She abruptly spun over her own feet bumped into the dark face of Detective Sullivan.

"Helen… Whiteman?" he doubtfully asked. This woman's face… he saw her somewhere but couldn't remember where. He had been turning it over in his head all day and it finally came into illumination. "Are you the nurse in Doctor Wilcox's consulting-room?" He could swear that he had seen her on the pictures of the case's file. Of course he wasn't working on the Wilcox murder case, but he couldn't control himself. He searched and asked questions until Captain Connor ordered him not to put his nose where didn't correspond. But he was Porter's partner after all…

She turned pale but stayed calm considering the answer she had to give him. This man wasn't one of the policemen that had interviewed her about Larry's murder but the badge on his belt impelled her to reply. "Although I helped Larry in his consulting room there was a personal relationship between the two of us not one based on labor." She used Larry's name to let him know her familiarity with the dead.

Scratching his chin Sam pointed. "I didn't know Doctor Wilcox had any relationship."

"I shared his bed for fifteen years Detective," she replied annoyed, "I believe that I can assure that we had a relationship…" She had never understood Larry's attitude and it was not really pleasurable keeping private what was between two of them. What she had with him wasn't clandestine although they were never meet outside of his consulting-room or his bedroom.

Sam tilted his head. Knowing the troubles the good doctor brought to the young Claytons couple and finding out his little secret made ignited ire's flame inside him. So the good doctor was two-timing Jane. He desperately searched for a way to bed her but had the space in his bed booked by another woman just in case. 'I _really want to revive the good doctor to be able to kill him again_'

His brow rose as every time his brain analyzed diverse potential crimes scenarios. Would this woman know about the doctor's bed games? Another thought whipped through his mind. Would monkey-boy find out about of Doctor Wilcox bed trick? Sam choked and began to cough. It had been logical that his partner's husband had become furious if he realized it. He had to keep his mouth shut and investigate more before uttering a word of his discovery. He really didn't want to find another reason to send his partner's husband to the electric chair.

……………………………

Finally Jane had fallen asleep after her tears had drained all her sadness away.

Now he could move freely. "Surely you won't raw meat, do you?" he teased to his sleeping wife, "I have to change the way to look for food." Smirking he remembered the first time they met. He never expected that there would come a time when those days would seem to be simplest and happiest.

The wild Clayton searched in the drawer of the night table. Last time he was in the apartment he had left some cash. He could use it to buy what she needed. "Don't forget the coffee!" he commanded himself as he placed his bare foot on the windowsill.

The night was the best cover to his tracks while he traveled across the city. No concern was superfluous and he tried to cover any trace that could be tracked. It took him thirty minutes to return to the apartment.

She kept sleeping peacefully.

He placed the supplies on the kitchen table but his brain couldn't stop thinking. Inside his mind hundred of questions without a single coherent answer boiled. But he was certain of one thing, those men attacked his woman and caused his baby's death. He shook his long blond mane trying to remain calm. He had already made too many mistakes guided by his impulses. But his hands clamored for blood and revenge.

'_Think._' He commanded himself '_They were just mere flunkies, stupid bootlickers, obeying someone else._' The rush of the events prevented him from analyzing the scent he smelled all over them. Suddenly a mixture of fury, deception and clarity hit him. He knew that scent! He recognized it! Why he didn't thought about it before?

Tarzan walked back to the bedroom and his sleeping beauty. Without hesitation he climbed out the window and scaled the wall toward the rooftop. The route he had to follow was well known to him.

Fifteen minutes later, through the embossed glass windows, the green-aqua eyes observed the man stretching his legs as they rested lazily on the table. A whiskey was held by his right hand. The ape-man hesitated for some seconds then he pushed the glass doors.

"Welcome son" Richard's alcoholic voice muttered listening to the window's noise as it opened up.

"Why?" The ape-man asked trying to maintain his poise but he hardly could contain his anger.

The CEO didn't need further explanation about his nephew's question. In fact he wondered, after hearing the news, what could it have delayed him? "Please son come and sit down." Without stopping dizzied the ice cube with his finger the businessman explained, "Two of my men got crazy hearing me speak about your problem John. You have to understand, they came from a world where no woman would treat you like she did. They decided to teach her a lesson, that way she could learn the role a woman should assume. They misunderstood my wish. I'm sorry John." He grinned, "You can't imagine how I tried to persuade them but they didn't listen." He sighted, drank his scotch and kept talking. "Now I have to find a good lawyer to assist them. They are good kids… I had to look for the way to reward them for their services." He finished his drink then spit. "Between you and me, John... she deserved it."

"She deserved it…" John repeated but Tarzan's cold and sharp tone was misinterpreted by his uncle.

"Oh! Yeah. I knew that one day you appreciate what I did for you." the cruel smile danced on his lips. "That bitch should learn that nobody could use a Clayton like a puppet." Richard got up reaching the whisky's bottle on the table. As he emptied it inside the glass he assured. "It's time that you realize how the things are in the real world, boy." He sat down again. "I presume she is good in bed and could bring you a healthy and strong heir. But you have to learn how to control her. She has to know who the boss is!"

Tarzan shortened the distance as Richard gave his annoying speech. He gazed at his uncle. That was a Clayton. Kathleen had told him that his father was far from Richard and both brothers constantly fought about how a Clayton had to be. It wasn't pleasant to discover that inside him a Clayton, as Richard described, inhabited into him. The distrust and his blindness could be the reason why he ended up in jail.

"Want me to behave like a Clayton?" Tarzan's tone was cold, low and severe.

"I would like it." Ingenuously Richard replied.

"As you wish…" A harsh smile slipped on John's face as he kicked hard Richard's chair. The man fell smashing against the floor, the glass held by his hand broke and its chips nailed into Richard's hand. The young Clayton stood watching as the blood bathed his uncle's fingers. "Although I would like to I can't be as cowardice as you. I can't be a coward that needs some hoodlums to beat a woman." The boredom, displeasure and dislike were evident John's face.

Richard's eyes opened wide trying to get up. "You're an idiot John!" He yelled. "She should learn how to respect you. Besides, my boys didn't hurt her..."

"You… hurt her!" His fury grew in exponential form. His fingers grabbed the Armani suit by the lapel raising him to the level of his eyes. Richard had to watch his anger and hate. Violently the ape-man smashed his back against the wall and placed his forearm on Richard's neck pressing his Adam's apple. "I should kill you!"

"Come on!" Richard dared. "Show me the ungrateful bastard you are!"

Fury, stupor and tears mixed into Tarzan's gaze. His fist incrusted violently into the wall near Richard face leaving its imprint on it. "Oh! Yeah I'm ungrateful, of course. I should thank you. Your 'naughty' boys gave me a nice present. They beat Jane and killed my son inside her." Richard turned pale. Tarzan loosened his grip letting the flaccid body fall to the ground.

Tarzan stepped back as his uncle coughed rubbing his aching neck. But Richard didn't end. With mocking expression he asked. "How do you know it was yours?"

Tarzan didn't reply but grabbed a penknife from the desk and nailed it across Richard's hand. His scream flooded the room.

The ape-man's powerful hearing perceived the steps of Richard's man approaching. Standing up the wild Clayton stared at his uncle. "I won't kill you right now. Your death will be slow and painful." He climbed to the balcony assuring, "You see, I can behave like a Clayton" Tarzan's cold tone froze Richard, a fearful shiver traveled trough him when he heard his nephew's declaration. "From now on you won't be able to close your eyes without knowing if you could open then again dear uncle."

………………………………………………

Slowly Jane spread her arm expecting to feel his warm skin but instead her fingers touched the empty cold sheet. The auburn-haired woman tossed nervously on the mattress. Had she only been dreaming? When finally she dared to open her eyes she found herself inside of her old bedroom still dressed with the hospital robe. Lethargically she sat up on the bed trying to hear some noise inside the house but her ears only perceived the hoarse purring of the night traffic. After few seconds her brown eyes got used to the surrounding darkness and she could sight the dresser and the mirror at the opposite wall.

Jane contemplated her image for some minutes. It was pathetic. She couldn't recognize the person drawn on the glass showing those severe features. What happened to her? When the rigid by-the-book Porter returned again? She thought that person had disappeared long time ago but she was looking at her again. Why had she come back? Could it be a self-defense reaction? She needed her old iron armor to be able to deal with the actual John problem.

Larry's voice filtered through her memories explaining:

"_You have to consider John's traumatic background. He is unable to establish emotional bonds in the normal way any human been should have. It's not his fault. He kept feeling like an ape inside, twenty years couldn't fade instantly. You can't expect or even demand him to behave like a normal person. He is not." She watched the doctor speaking and scribbling something on the blank leaf before him. Wilcox was a handsome man with his hazelnut eyes, his blond short hair and his neat mustache. Jane didn't understand why but she begun to compare her husband's gestures with the doctor's gentlemanly manners. From the comparison John was the evident looser._ "_Possibly that it is the meaning of the nightmare you have had dreamed." He traced a line across the leaf. "The deep fracture opened up through the ground represents the breach in the relationship with John. It is interesting that you both were in opposite banks," the doctor smiled mischievously, "He was comfortably seated watching you jump trying to reach him and fall down."_

"_Yeah..." She admitted with resigned voice._

"_Jane, you know that the bull-ape inside him is imposing. It is impeding any approaches and is the reason why the aggressiveness between both of you is increasing along to verbal violence." She nodded. Talking to her husband was becoming an impossible task. "I'm aware that the affective bond between both of you is strong and I'm sure that John is a permanent source of physical satisfactions." She blushed from toe to head. "But a marriage goes beyond the bed." He took carefully her hand among his. "Do you want to have children with him?" His unexpected question made her startle. Up till now her answer was always affirmative, but she was seeing an awful side of John. "Have you ever wondered if he was able to share your love with someone else?" She stared at him worriedly; such thought had never crossed her mind but listening to Larry's word she wasn't sure about how her husband could react. "The arrival of a son shakes strongly the bases on which any normal couple stand. It is necessary interweave new bonds using the emotional strands that previously existed. Would he be able to?"_

_Jane leaned on the back of her seat. She honestly confessed. "I don't know how to answer…"_

"_The problem," he kept talking, "it is that we don't know clearly what kind of bond John has with you. His city life had been build around you. You're the column that sustains him. His dependence on you makes him vulnerable and dangerous at the same time." Larry's kept quiet for some seconds building an idea in his mind. It was evident that he had problems explaining it correctly. "Besides, you have to consider one important thing." He swallowed hard and let it out, "Is it convenient to expose a little child to the permissive influence of a father that is not able to adapt to the society in which he lives? What kind of example he could bring to a permeable youth mind?_

_She was shocked. "Do you truly believe that he couldn't be a good father?" _

_Wilcox didn't answer immediately. "If the environment was a wild area he could be a good model but in the city…"shaking his head, "sorry I doubt that he could do a good job. He had enough problems trying to fit into an intricate society like ours. Can you imagine what kind of father's role he would represent?" The good doctor sentenced with conviction. "Almost impossible…"_

Larry's image popped like soap bubble.

The Tarzan depicted by Larry was light years from the one had held her, had contained her, had calmed her and consoled her some hours ago. If she was guided by what the doctor said, Tarzan was incapable of such human reaction, but however… the infallible doctor was wrong.

She never analyzed before the way Doctor Wilcox talked about her husband. Possibly she had been too naive letting that man interfere with her conjugal life pretending helped them. She could see it clearly now but then everything was confusing. But she started to see the light the same day of Larry's death. That day the consulting session had not been as the other days.

_She didn't understand that. She had fighting with John and came to look for help because she couldn't tell him about the baby she carried and totally flabbergasted she heard the doctor's explanation about why he couldn't assist anymore her husband. "Why do you abandon us now when we need you most?"_

"_Don't misunderstand what I said. I appreciate John and it bothers me to have to transfer him to another counselor, but…"_

_Some blows on the door interrupted him. A smiling Helen entered to the counseling room and dropped on the desk several files. "Here are the files you requested doctor."_

"_Thanks Helen." He said lightly perturbed. "Could you leave us alone, I have something very important to talk with Mrs. Clayton about."_

_The dark haired woman spun her head gazing at Jane who understood perfectly the message her eyes were sending, 'he is mine.'_

_As soon Helen left the room Jane's frustration became stupor and panic when she felt the masculine fingers squeeze her hand. Instinctively she pulled it back. Obviously she misunderstood his gesture but she found his eyes filled with an expression that she refused to analyze._

"_Jane I need you to understand why I can't go on being John's counselor." Larry's made a lingering silence, "I am in love with his wife…"_

_She froze. Her first impulse was go out running but her legs didn't respond. She swallowed loud and the words sprouted of her mouth. In fact she didn't know where they coming from. "Larry. I'm flattered by your declaration but I am deeply in love with my husband." It was shocking to have this conversation. It was illogical, but she kept talking. "I'm apologizing if somehow, involuntarily, I send you a wrong signal. But in my life there is only place for one man, my husband." Without waiting an answer she got up and ran away from there feeling the nurse's cold gaze on her. Jane felt a chill, that woman scared her somehow._

Once again the detective shook her head trying to throw those memories off her mind. That day was the beginning of this nightmare.

Jane rose from the bed, walked to the dresser and opened the lower drawer. There it was the jeans and the T-shirt she wore yesterday, or that is what she expected. She didn't know how long she was in the apartment. She threw the robe on the bed and put the clothes on.

'_If everything was as I used to be_ …' her hands searched on the upper right drawer, "Bingo!" The apartment keys were there waiting for her. She took them and walked to the main door. Two turns of the key unlocked it. Her fingers lowered the latch and pushed it out.

Jane watched as the door opened up, then she stopped. If she stepped ahead she left her life with John behind, but if she stepped backward … She raised her head understanding that she had the opportunity to save what was still between both of them.

Was something there to be saved? A tiny light began to blink inside her heart. What should she do?

Suddenly the wind pushed the wooden door closing it.

Jane Porter watched the door and smiling stepped back.


	5. Cold Blood 5

Song: I Thought You Knew – by Keith Urban (Thanks Kaz. for the song)

The ape-man had been circling in his four over the rooftops trying to find some of his lost tranquility more than one hour ago. Probably Jane was already awake and he didn't want her to see him in his actual state.

"_How do you know it was yours?_" His uncle annoying voice invaded his thoughts again. He knew why Richard's captious question perturbed him so bad. It was irritating not to be able to answer affirmatively that question.

The horizon began to paint ruby lines on the sky, it was an undeniable signal of the approaching dawn.

He sat down on the edge of the roof; he could see Jane's building. John bent over his head. Feeling the excessive weight of his blame, his jealousies and his distrust, from the distance, a bitter-sweet melody reached his ear waved its notes through the wind.

_I thought you knew  
I guess I assumed too much  
I don't know how but now we're so far out of touch  
And I never planned  
To so misunderstand  
But what you needed you never asked me to give  
And I swear as I live…_

Unconsciously he paid attention to its words… How could those simple expression hit so hard into his heart? He never thought that someone else would find the perfect words to express what he felt, his desperation. A single tear ran away from the small tail of his left eye.

_I thought you knew my heart was yours  
And that we were so together  
That we would always be  
I don't believe you leaving me's the answer  
I'm not asking you to let me rush back in and fail again  
I'm asking for one chance not to assume  
So I can say and do  
All the things I thought you knew_.

All his fears assaulted him again. Would she be waiting for him? He could feel the animal inside yearning for her. Where would he put all his expectations and dreams if she rejected him again? The adrenaline still ran furiously through his veins. But it was useless to get angry, he had looked for guilty in everyone else but him, it was time to take what was his.

_So here we are  
And so far we're still so far  
From where we know we should be  
I'm searching for words  
And you haven't heard_

Could he live without her? It was a question he knew how to answer, but he never would accept it in front of her. If he needed to be blind to be able to keep her by his side, he would be.

_I thought you knew my heart was yours  
And that we were so together  
That we would always be  
I don't believe you leaving me's the answer  
I'm not asking you to let me rush back in and fail again  
I'm asking for one chance not to assume  
So I can say and do  
All the things I thought you knew_

The ape-man rose as the last musical tunes disappeared into the ether carrying away the words. He needed to calm down even if it necessary to force himself to do it. He decided to go down and walk the ten blocks between him and her apartment.

When his bare feet touched the cold tile, they began its mechanic slow sway toward their hidden home. While he walked his mind strolled into his ghosts, doubts and fears' world. Some passer-by, seeing this huge barefoot dirty blond man came close, crossed at the opposed sidewalk. Nobody that observed this man walking down the street could imagine that a fortune with more than twelve zeros hung from his back.

Tarzan reached the corner of the street when a wheels squeaking forced him to lift his head awakening from his stupor. A red motorbike with chromed lighthouses and a wide black band on its sides suddenly appeared in front of him. A cylindrical grey object was held by the driver's right hand. Instinctively the ape-man stepped back. The man raised his right arm pointing to one hardly illuminated shop window. Without thinking it twice the feral blond man jumped on the vandal making both, machine and man, fell down as he stood up quickly. The smoky cylinder rolled on the sidewalk colliding against a column light and exploded. The window's glasses vibrated with the noisy detonation.

From the hooded guy's black jacket pocket a knife emerged. John cocked his head watching the blade shine under the morning light as it furrowed the air looking for his flesh. His finger trapped the guy wrist twisting it hard while his feral fist flew directly to his helmet. A single blow was enough to dissipate all resistance from the guy. He just fainted and fell down unconscious. At his side the motorbike kept rolling its back.

The disturbing noises alerted the neighbors that quickly called to the police.

Five hours later the file of this curious incident fell on the detective Sullivan's desk. His dark eyes read attentively the description of the strange guy that had stopped the local mafia's hooligan. He swallowed hard. There was only one person who fit into this profile perfectly. When he read the street's name a cold chill traveled across his spine. It was only a hunch but he let his fingers type the old address of his partner on the computer and astonished he read the name of the new owner of her former apartment. Quickly he erased the screen sighing thwarted. "Oh! Monkey-boy you're too much obvious." He muttered as he carefully put the file in the bottom of the cases' pile. "Ok, now I know where to look for you partner."

…………………………………

The finger pressed the button turning on the light. The dark room showed the four walls adorned with the impressive arsenal. The guns, which were hanging above the wooden table, glowed reflecting the surrounding light.

Adeptly the hand chose the weapons for day job. The favorite knife was placed into the boot and covered by the Jean's lower part. Under the sleeve a small gun was hidden and another ended in the button of the bag.

"Let see what I have to hunt today." Over the table the inquisitives eyes studied the five pictures of the men. The first four pictures were the usual stuff, thieves and murderers that the justice claimed. "Boring." It was easy task. "What do we have here?" A whistle escaped from the lips drawing a smile. The fingers grabbed the photo and turned it to read the name of this Adonis. "John Clayton Jr." Keeping the other pictures in the handbag, "I have to save the best for the end…" Laughing, "It will be a true pleasure to rub my hands on you Mr. Clayton." Delight gleamed into the eyes that read his concise biography. "I love a wild, savage and untamed man. And baby, with this body… Oh!" Moaning, "You will be an interesting challenge…" The smile grew wide, "Mmm… you could be a playfully sexual toy." It would not be the first time, to enjoy a man always was better than a reward. "Of course, when I get tired of you baby… I can still get the money…" Laughing again, "I will prepare the special room for you honey…" The fingers placed his picture on the Jacket's pocket. It was the special place for the special prey. "It would be too much fun to approach near you Johnny. You can't imagine the surprise I have ready for you honey…" Opening the front door, "Let the hunt begun…"

……………………………………

Jane's eyes gazed at the black liquid thread falling into the translucent recipient of the coffee machine. Through the small kitchen's window the first dawn lights filtered. It wasn't her pleasure waiting without knowing where he was. Although into her mind she repeated herself over and over again, '_he is fine_,' her fingers drummed on the table and her left foot didn't stop tapping nervously on the tile. To take her anguish at higher levels, the howl of a patrol car broke the dawn's monotonous silence. It took her breath away. What it was ignored generally was filled by our imagination with our worst fears. Images of him handcuffed, badly wounded, even dead, assaulted her startled brain. She began to pace by the kitchen rubbing her hands frantically. '_Why didn't he come back yet_?_ There were so many things I didn't tell him_…'

As an answer to her silent and desperate prayers the deaf noise of his bare feet touching the carpet came from the bedroom. She sighed without being able to contain her smile of relief and ran to the old bedroom. She needed to see with her own eyes if he was alright.

Standing next to the windows he looked at her fearing her announced rejection. They stood there gazing each other for some minutes without knowing what to do, what to say.

John's sweaty body evoked too many memories into the detective's mind. She beamed realizing she couldn't stop staring at him. His powerful muscles framed into the scraped T-shirt made jut his savage masculinity. God! He was so handsome. He smiled back as her blinking eyes slipped playfully and delightfully through his figure that perspired manliness unchastely. Her hands knew each line of his masculine body and they died for touching him again.

His smile grew wide, that gaze was the sign he had hopelessly been waiting for. Without thinking it twice he erased the distance between them. Cupping her head he took possession eagerly of her mouth with his own. Jane did not resist, just moaned feeling the fire consuming her inside. She wanted this too, she knew she did. Both got lost into the vortex of their sensation while their tongues danced erotically together.

She melted as his arms moved around her pulling her closer. Sliding his hands under her T-shirt his fingertips traced a burning way up to her breasts. He couldn't tolerate it more, with urgency he tugged up her cloth. Last time he touched her smooth skin was one week ago, an eternity. She was lost under his touch. He bent his head and sucked a nipple in his warm mouth. Jane gasped. She closed her eyes as she felt herself arching her back to give him more access while her fingers sank into his hair.

Tarzan traded her nipples for her mouth. He loved the taste of her.

She wrapped her legs around his waist when he cupped her butt, lifted and carried her to the bed. Smoothly her back leaned on the mattress. After the rest of their clothes had been removed their lips meet once again. They were thirsty and the only fountain they wanted to calm their own lust's thirst was each other.

He traveled with his hand across her curbs until they rested on her hips. Then his mouth began to enjoy his way down kissing, sucking and tasting every inch of her warm and sweet skin until he arrive to her belly. Then he stopped. The pain could not hide behind his eyes when his fingers touched her shaved pubic area. He kissed smoothly and daintily the huge multicolored bruise. "Does it hurt?" She shook her head unable to mutter a single word.

He had not been able to stop those men of hurting her but he swore as he kissed, one by one, every bruise and scratches that it wouldn't happen again. A tear escaped from his small eye's tail.

Slowly he sat up with his eyes filled with passion, love and sadness. He was necked in front of her, with nothing to hide. "I love you" Inevitably his eyes showed a line of tears. He leaned in kissing her and then confessed honestly. "I want a son… with you…" it was hard to find the proper words to express what he wanted to say. "Could you forgive me, I…" She didn't let him conclude sealing his lips with hers.

She didn't need words right now. She refused to think if he was or wasn't a murderer. At this moment the rest of the world didn't matter at all. They were there, together, with anything more than their exposed skin. Over his mouth her lips wrote a promise of offering only to him her heart.

No words could explain or describe what happened inside his heart hearing her voice saying. "One son isn't enough. I want to see lots of barefoot boys and girls running into my house. And I want you to be the father of each one of them."

………………………..

Sam's dark eyes stared at the intercom. His idea which up till now was considered brilliant and fearless, suddenly became illogical and stupid. Possibly nobody was inside the apartment. But if they were there, they would not be fool enough to answer the buzzer. Knowing how his partner's mind worked, probably they ran away at the smallest indication of danger. He frowned. Ok, he didn't know even if she was voluntarily escaping with him, the situation could be completely different. His fingers played with his cell phone inside his pocket for some minutes. Maybe he should ask for backup, but what if he was wrong. Doubt, doubts and more doubts. He hated to feel that way.

The main door was opened by a smiling teenage girl. "Sam! What are you doing here?"

"Hi Sabrina." He smiled back to Jane's former neighbor, wondering how he was going to explain his presence there. But the teenage girl held the door open letting him in and with a concise, "bye," she closed the door behind her.

'_Ok. First barrier jumped_.' He began to climb the stairs not too fast, he needed time to think what he would say if indeed he would find the couple. He stood near the apartment door hesitantly. Leaning his ear on the wooden door he paid attention trying to hear some noises. '_What do you expected? Screams?_' He stepped back nervously. '_Ok. There is only way to know_…' his knuckles knocked the wooden surface. Nothing. He knocked again louder. '_Should I use the monkey-boy exclusive entry_?' but it wasn't easy to accesses to the window in a fifth floor. '_I really hope you're not running away guys_…' Looking around to make sure no one was watching him, he whispered. "Jane… It's me, Sam." Zero response. '_Ok, you have to call them louder_.' And he did. "Jane, it's me Sam. Are you there?" He leaned his ears on the door one more time. '_Is it a barefoot noise_?' He wasn't sure but, just in case he said. "Monkey-boy I know you're there." No sound came but he insisted lying. "Please let me in. I can hear you." An audible grunt was the undeniable sign that his hunch had been correct. "Please…John. I need to know how she is."

On the other side of the door the ape-man hesitated. He knew for Sam's scent that he didn't lie. "Wait." John whispered unlocking the door. When he opened it, grabbed the detective's arm dragging him inside and close the door quickly.

Impelled by the inertia the dark man stumbled but he didn't fall because he managed to spin. Then the nakedness of Jane's husband hit his astonished eyes. "John, ooh, mmm" He chocked. "Could you wear something more than your Adam's suit?" Tarzan tilted his head. "Put some pants on please."

Sam's colorful language was hard to understand sometimes. So Tarzan shrugged walking to the bedroom, he returned seconds later wearing clear brown pants. "Happy?"

Sam smiled sighing, '_yeah much better_.' "Where is Jane?"

"In the bedroom, sleeping."

"Ok. How is she?"

"Good."

"And…?" Tarzan's gaze wondered what he wanted. "Oh! Man your eloquence is overwhelming. I want to know how she is. I have not seen her for two days. I don't know anything about her since you kidnapped her."

"I didn't kidnap her." He replied annoyed.

"Ok, ok, ok." His partner's husband wasn't the easier person to deal with, but he feared for her safety. "Did she wake up since you took out her from the hospital?" John nodded. "Great. I want to see her."

"She is sleeping."

Sam rolled his eyes, he was really worried and couldn't hold his mouth. "Listen man, she suffered a bloody abortion, this is not a joke. She is not well." As the subtleties didn't work out with the monkey-boy he talked openly. "I don't know if to have sex… was a good idea. You know, under her condition you can hurt her badly. Maybe I have to take her back to the hospital…"

Tarzan listened to his wife's partner. So many times he felt jealousy about the special connection they built. Sam's fear was genuine, he couldn't deny it. The certainty of his real concern made him answered. "I wouldn't be inside her knowing I could hurt her Sam. We needed to be together, to touch each other. But I know she is weak so we just…"

"Ok, ok, ok." He interrupted him. Tarzan smiled watching him trembled. "I don't need too much information about what you did, monkey-boy… I just want to know she is fine."

Tarzan beamed. "She is doing well. She needs resting to be able to recover and heal."

Sam nodded in agreement. "Yeah. But this is not the best place to hide. If I found you, anyone could find you too." He said walking to the kitchen seeing the full coffee machine. "Exactly what I needed most..." He took a cup; filling it he drank a sip. "I need to talk to her. I don't want to offend you pal, but for me she is first." He took out of his pocket a paper and handed it to him. "You're a fugitive now man. They are offering a reward for your head. It is just matter of time John, just matter of time…"

It was Sam's voice, she was sure of that. But how it was possible? Jane rolled on the bed. Probably it was her imagination but then she heard his voice again. She sat up on the bed realizing that all she wore was nothing. '_Ok, I have to put some cloth on_.' She managed to seize her jeans and T-shirt while she beamed picturing Sam's face teasing her about her husband's bad influence on her present way to get dressed.

As she walked toward the kitchen she heard Sam and John's voices entangled in a long conversation. She observed both, surly Tarzan perceived her presence but Sam seemed to ignore she was there.

"Son of the bitch…" He snorted angrily, "I should imagine that your creepy uncle was as cowardly as to dare beating her." The ape-man didn't reply, he had just related his last meeting with Richard. Sam's fist hit angrily the table. "I know that crossing his hand with a penknife wasn't a brilliant idea, damn, but I would react the same way if I heard him suggest that the son she carried wasn't yours." Jane's eyes grew wide. They hadn't had time to speak yet and what she was listening didn't appeased her at all. "But I don't think he would say anything, otherwise he had to admit what he did."

"But he admitted it." John was confusing.

"He wanted you to know what he done, but he won't tell it openly. Richard didn't have any scruple. The games he plays need you as the bad guy, so he will hold his mouth shut."

"Sam is right John." She stepped ahead. Sam's face joyfully smiled at her when he got up hastily hugging her tightly. "Sam… please, let me breath." He pulled back slightly as his eyes worryingly sliding along her. She beamed. "I'm fine Sam."

"Are you sure? It seems you have lost weight."

"I'm fine, really." She took a seat while Sam grabbed a cup and poured coffee inside. "Thanks Sam. You're spoiled me."

"Yeah, yeah… drink it and eat all the cookies I have bought you."

She drank a sip, it was hot and bitter, the way she liked it. "Now, could you explain how you find us?"

"Elementary my dear Porter. Your husband is the only barefoot blonde able to demolish a motorcyclist with a single blow. It happened five blocks of here. So I wanted to know if this apartment was still available and what a surprise when I saw the landlady's name."

Jane frowned. "What name?"

"Your name of course!" Seeing her expression Sam turned his head looking at John. "She didn't know. Did I just spoil your surprise?" John nodded. "Oops. Sorry man."

"It would be my gift for our anniversary, but …"

She stared at him without being able to mutter a single word. Suddenly she understood why her old furniture was there. It was a tribute to their first time together. She grinned.

Sam cleared his throat. "I'm sorry to interrupt this romantic interlude but there are urgent facts to discuss," he took out a paper from his pocket placing it on the table, "as doctor's Wilcox autopsy."

Jane carefully took the page into her hands swallowing hard. "You're amazing Sam." She whispered as Tarzan stared at her. It would be the first time they talk about this topic since the interrogation's room incident. Many things had happened from then on and he was glad that she didn't fulfill what she had sworn in that occasion. A shadowy pain crossed through his cerulean eyes. Feeling his gaze on her, she raised her eyes facing him. Instantly she knew what he was thinking of. The question danced around her lips for long time, would she find the courage of voicing it? "John…" she almost said '_why did you kill him_?' but instead she asked, "Did you kill Larry?"

Tarzan cocked his head perceiving her attitude change. "I don't know." He honestly replied. "I broke the window glass and stepped ahead into the room. Larry startled when he saw me, I was furious perceiving your scent into that room. Then everything around become black and the next thing I remember were waking up into a kind a cell…" He muttered with broken voice, "the one you called interrogation room." He snorted uncomfortable hiding his eyes from her. "You know the rest… you were there."

Sam took out another paper off his pocket throwing it next to Jane. "I have this little gift for you, a copy of the results of the monkey-boy's blood test." Both looked at Sam astonished, he boyishly beamed. Jane smiled back kissing his cheek soundly. "You don't have to kiss me…" he complained, "just kneel down on the floor and praise me a two hundred times… it's enough for me."

She elbowed him hard and then read eagerly the paper. "I knew it!" She yelled slapping the page, "They found traces of a powerful hallucinogen in your blood John." She looked at Sam, "The same one I found in the atrium's trash can, inside the little glass blister" Seeing her husband's face expression she stated, "Larry injected you some drug."

"Yes." He confirmed, "He gave me a sedative injection."

The detective shook her head, "What Larry gave you was a drug that make you see, smell and even heard things that weren't really there."

John frowned. "I saw you standing there, next to him." The memory of that night speeded his breathing, "I smelled your scent on the consulting room. You were there…"

"No John." She replied placing her hand over his. "I was on Nikki's apartment. I stayed there after our atrium fight and I didn't move until the Kathleen's phone call told me that you were in jail because you murdered Larry."

Confusion assaulted Tarzan's face. "But I saw you through the window, you hugged him tightly. That was why I climbed the wall. I saw you there…"

"Could be the drug effect John." Sam disagreed with him. "I saw her on Nikki's apartment and phoned her every hour since I knew of your fight. She couldn't be at Larry's office."

Every detail of that night was very disconcerting. Jane scratched her chin thinking aloud, "Why Larry drugged you, John? I can't find a logical explanation for it, except… he wanted you behaved wildly… but, why?

"What do you mean?" Sam asked but none of the men understood her line of thought.

"I'm simply asking…" She made a long silence to settle her ideas. "Who win if John became irascible and wild? Who needs to prove that my husband is really crazy to be able to have access to John's money?"

A single name danced into their brains. They didn't need to voice it; they knew who she was talking about…

"Wait a second…" The black detective held his hand on the air theatrically, "Are you suggesting that the good doctor was working for your husband's nasty uncle?"

She began to tap her fingers on the table. "It could a foolish idea but…"

She sighed thwarted making an effort to gather each pieces of this damned puzzle trying to assemble it in a correct way. It was hard task and she wasn't sure if they were heading to a right spot. It was completely frustrating and displeasing to talk about it with her husband in front of her but there was no other way. "Larry admitted that the real reason why he couldn't be your doctor anymore was his feeling for me…"

"Jane, the irresistible woman!" Sam couldn't help but teasing.

"That's not funny at all!" She complained puzzling, "It could be just a parody…"

"Larry wanted you!" The ape-man severe tone declared as a matter of fact. "He said it clearly that night on the atrium and I knew he didn't lie when he said it."

"Oh! Your olfactory lie's detector told it to you…" Sam joked again but Tarzan's sharp gaze was enough warning for the black detective if he kept fooling that way. So he quickly went back to the topic they had been chatted. "In the last two months the good doctor's bank account increased considerably. It was one of the forgotten hints because the case against John was stronger. But maybe…" The cell-phone wasn't the most efficient way to surf in the net but it let him discover what needed. After five minutes. "Well, well, well. What a surprise! Greystoke have invested in the good doctor's clinic more than two million dollars… I wonder why!"

Jane's face turned pale. Both were trusting Larry. How could he betray them so easily? What kind of man was he? She couldn't decide who was evilest, Larry or Richard. "It is too much pervert…"

"But effective…" But this time her partner wasn't joking. "Richard wants John under his fingers again, who better than his shrink?" Their plan became frighteningly clear for him. "The game was simply. John got mad losing control so it proved that Kathleen couldn't take care of him. Some legal trick already planned facilitated him to take monkey-boy legal custody again so all his money fell into Richard's greedy hands once more." Pointing to Jane he assured, "As result you should be devastated and the good doctor would be there with open arms to comfort you. The perfect plan!"

"But then, what happened? I doubt that into his plans he considered to be murdered." Jane learned on the back of the seat, her eyes grew wide assuring, "Although it would be a very effective way to catch John at the same time it would vanish the link with the doctor. And no one ever knows of Richard's intervention."

"Do you believe that he killed Larry trying to set me up?" Tarzan questioned.

"Hold on!" Sam interrupted, "Jane is forgetting something important. John, you were in the crime scene and your fingerprints were in the murdered weapon." Jane was about to argue but Sam shook his hand. "We can't lose the perspective here. It could be true that the good doctor and the nasty uncle worked together. I can accept it. But Wilcox went to the mansion to drug John. I don't think he expected that the monkey-boy appeared into his office."

"But someone was with him. I saw them." John affirmed again.

The detective frowned shaking his head. "Just minutes ago you assured that you saw Jane with him, now is someone. Sorry John but probably it was a trick of your imagination. You were under drug and you don't remember what happened. You kicked hard ten police's ass and you even can't remember it now. So we are blind right now. We only have the autopsy file telling us what happened."

As Sam talked Jane couldn't detach her gaze from the autopsy file. Her fingers rubbed her temples when she asked. "Why did Larry receive so many stabs?

"Because the assassin was too mad..." Her partner replied, deliberately he obviated her husband's name but it was floating among them.

Jane scratched her chin. "One stab had different directions, longitude and even different depths than the others." She grabbed a pen from the table. "The person that stabbed Larry had to be near him." She assured standing up. "Sam I need you to stand in front of me." She commanded. "Imagine that we were discussing, I'm furiously approaching you." As she kept talking her hand, seizing the pen as a dagger, rose abruptly tracing a blue line on his white shirt. The black detective reacted stepping back. She beamed hearing him cursed loudly. "I will buy you new one, a dozen if you want. But it was exactly what Larry should do according the autopsy report. The wound on his abdomen was longitudinal and was longest but not deepest than the others.

Sam puffed. "Beside to spoil my new shirt, what are you trying to prove?

She eyed her husband. "John was furious. I don't think that Larry would come closer to him…just the opposite. The wounded described by the report was made by a person that stand closer him"

Her partner didn't answer quickly. "You are trying to find a rational explanation to convince you and me that he wasn't the murder one. But the good doctor could approach him trying to calm down him. Or John could faint so the doctor came closer to help him and Monkey-boy react. Or Wilcox had the dagger firstly and he lost it struggling being stabbed later by John…"

"Could be…" She walked around her partner. "John could you came here please." She gave him the pen. Tarzan looked at her without understanding what she wanted. "Please stand in front of Sam and stab him with the pen."

Sam startled warning. "Easy Monkey-boy she is figuratively speaking."

His hand furrowed the air and the pen marked a parallel line near the other one. Jane cursed soundly. She expected to prove that Tarzan's height was one of the reasons he couldn't stabbed Larry, but the line he traced began below the other mark.

"Ok." Sam smirked, "We can prove that the first stab was the abdominal one. So the murder was in front of him. So after that Wilcox fell on the floor receiving over his chest the rest of the attack. Evidently the murderer was kneeling in front of him." Sam knelt down emulating the murder posture. "So, then the person lost the control stabbing him until killing him. It was a passionate crime."

She threw furious the near chair. "But everything still is pointing to John!" Tears crowded into her eyes so her husband surrounded her waist with his arms pulling her closer. It was so frustrating she couldn't control her anger anymore and started to cry burying her face on his welcoming chest.

"Jane" Sam was trying to make his voice sound as normal as possible. "At last we found a logical explanation why John did what he did." Watching her falling tears he added, "If he did it. Now we can prove that the good doctor was the responsible of what happen because he drugged John.

She raised her head looking at her partner. "You're right." Her eyes sparkled with a newly hope, but the ape-man didn't share her expectations. "Probably we can talk with detective Hoyt and find out if he had all this information."

Sam smiled. She needed to grab any hope trace. "It's a good idea." He conceded. "Maybe I can chat with him."

"I'll coming with you!" She exclaimed trying to move but the strong barrier of her husband's embrace didn't let her. She beamed kissing him softly. "I should go to the precinct to show that I'm ok. It will be one less charge against you. And we really need all the available help we can find."

Before the ape-man could reply Sam added. "Just remember that your head had a high price monkey-boy. Better you stay here. She will be fine, I promise. Don't worry."

The wild Clayton looked to each one of the detective partners and stepped back freeing his woman. Then he simply smiled assuring. "I will watch over her."

It wasn't worth discussed with him. He had already taken his decision. "Promise me that you won't expose yourself uselessly." He nodded. She headed to the old bedroom. "I pick my jacket up and we can go."


	6. Cold Blood 6

The detectives' itinerary began at the precinct where they spent more than two hours filling the usual paper work, hearing the usual Connor's reprimands and finding out the last news of John's case. Detective Porter managed to phone to her colleague Hoyt who carried Wilcox murder case, but even she talked with him for a while, due her bond with the prime suspect, it was evident to her that Hoyt didn't take seriously her speculations. Between phrase and sentence the cop suggested her many times to give him the exact location of her husband, but she simply lied pleading to be ignorant of where he could be.

Hearing Hoyt's objections her mind started to work on the way to bring Richard into the game. So the solution came by the hand of a mail. She scanned the autopsy and John's medical file underlining the remarkable facts then she wrote explaining each one of the aspect of the suppositions Sam, John and she made. Automatically she sent the same e-mail to John's attorney. When her fingertip pressed the 'enter-key' she knew that a new phase of the Clayton match had begun.

Seeing Connor approaching her she foresaw what he would say, the Capitan ordered her to take a car and go to the hospital. He wanted to be sure of her physical condition. As Sam didn't plan to let her side both climbed at the patrol, her black partner would be her chauffeur.

Tarzan's cerulean eyes followed the car trajectory toward the hospital. He didn't miss the patrol jumping across New York building's roofs. It was relatively easy for him locate inside the policlinic where his wife was being assisted. Luck was at his side, the west wind of the edifice was deserted and the hanging figure was not of the interest of the passer-by people in the sidewalk at this time.

But a pair of gray eyes watched him playfully from the other side of street, hidden on a rooftop. The supposition that sooner or later the suspect would return to the hospital it had been correct, so focusing the binoculars on him the person enjoyed the view. It wouldn't be problems to wait some minutes until the hunt begin.

Without suspecting he had been watched, Tarzan leaned out of the window. All his sense was focused on his wife. Sam waited outside. The doctor examined her superficially without finding serious health problems. The ape-man fingers twitched as he watched the stethoscope, guided by the doctor hand, leaned on her skin, dangerously near her breasts. He inhaled deeply then his unconformity escaped loudly through his nose. His eyes stared carefully at the doctor's hand moving away from her.

It was always the same. He barely could control his anger closing his eyes. Larry image hit his memory. He could not let his jealousies controlled him that way.

It was an uncomfortable and disconcerting sensation that he wasn't able to control, most of the times he reacted badly and Jane didn't forgave him easily. Her cold stare chased him after any of his jalousie eruption. Kathleen used to justify his behavior explaining that it was a natural reaction by the insecurity their relationship made him feel.

Even though the publisher-powerful lady was thanked for the detective's actions, the auburn woman was far away of what the aunt considered appropriate for her nephew. She wasn't satisfied with his love lady election.

Kathleen had even presented him other women, a journalist, a psychologist, not secretly hoping he could forget his devotion for the problematic detective. They were indeed willing to share their beds with him and he even gave in to his carnal desire with them several times. But simply they couldn't replace the red-head woman into John's heart. They had arrived in a moment of his life where everything was calm, quiet and settle down. They had meet John Clayton jr., the moderately civilized part of him. He was the eccentric millionaire that fascinated them. They never meet Tarzan, the ape inside him. The beast as Richard called him. He was sure they would run panicky and terrify by his other personality.

His aunt wasn't happy at all with his decision of marrying Jane, but like a true Clayton, Kathleen hid her unconformity behind her well training mask. After all he was blind in love with this woman.

But he knew that the bossy, conflictive and insecure auburn detective was the only one could see the wild and innocence mixture inside him and didn't freak out. The distant image of her caressing his wet hair confessing that she could see the gentle and kind part of him that most people couldn't see "…_and I'm glad that I do…"_ he heard her voice warming his memory.

He had never understood why she had put her work and life in danger for him, even when he was just a barefoot stranger for her. In spite of her fears, doubts and inhibitions she had always been there when he needed her. Even Larry couldn't break the bond between them even he tried it so hard. And now she was once again at his side trying to find an excuse to prove him not guilty. But he had his doubts about his own feelings that night.

Larry drugged him holing the little control that he had on his wild impulses, that thin and weak civilization cover that disappeared easily that night. He still couldn't remember what happened on Larry's consulting room. Probably he never could.

Seeing her walking out of the room he realized that Jane was the only human being able to reach at Tarzan, the ape inside him. It became clearly that Tarzan wouldn't ever allow nobody took her away from him.

Maybe John Clayton Jr, could find another woman to share his bed, but he understood why no other women could occupy her place into Tarzan's heart. She was the ape-man mate, his other half. Without her the wild animal inside him would die, would disappear buried by this cold society forcing him to use shoes, to eat and dress correctly. Of her strength he constantly was nurtured.

He smiled at this amazing revelation.

Tarzan could not exist without Jane.

His wild sapphire eyes was gazing at the main door waiting for the detective's couple to get out of the clinic building when his ears perceived a slight metallic sound. Tarzan didn't move any muscle as he listened the second click behind him. He sharpened his senses fully alert. His olfaction distinguished the scent of a person mixed with gunpowder, he was unable to decide if was a man or woman but surly he or she was armed. He heard another click again but didn't perceive scent of fear. How had Jane called it? Oh, yeah, adrenaline. Whoever it was, that person felt a false sensation of confidence and security. It was logical, how his pursuer could know that he had detected his presence.

When Jane stepped out of the clinic John stood up. If this someone was hunting him, he should move away. It wasn't his pleasure to be the prey but her safety was first. His lips drew a mocking smile. It was time to play his favorite game. He was the hunter and whoever was that person soon became his prey.

Looking up Sam pointed out to the masculine muscular figure clipped against the clean blue sky. Alerted by her partner's gesture Jane followed her husband's slow displacement across the roof edge. Then he advised ironically, "I think you have to explain better to him what 'not exposing himself unnecessarily' means..."

Her internal alarm started to hum. Instinctively her hand flew to take her weapon but she didn't carry one. "Damn…" Without a second thought she took Sam's gun. She was faster than his reaction. Being deaf to his objection Jane climbed by the nearest fire stairs.

Meanwhile, without looking back, the ape-man kept walking through the roof border making sure that his pursuer didn't loose him. Tarzan's ears perceived each step of the soundless hunter. An easy way to test your adversary skills was made him feel secure hunting you, so the ape-man jumped to the next roof. Some second later he heard the other person jump. '_Ok. Let's see how fast you run_…' So John began to pick up speed. He ran some yards and then he stopped his pace spinning surprisingly to face his opponent.

He was a she!

The ape-man stepped back dumbfounded. How could a woman stop him?

As answer a silver hissing dart crossed the air impacting unerringly against his right shoulder. Without delay his fingers seized the pointed missile that was nailed deeply into his flesh pulling it out. A sharp pain and a cold tickling traveled through his arm. Wasting no time Tarzan spun running to the left zigzagging. The projectiles bounced around without hit upon him. Desperately, feeling his strength was drained off him, he started to run on his four jumping several times from roof to roof.

As the dart's sedative began to affect him his view began to cloud over so his pace become slower. Leaning his hands on a wall the ape-man wasn't able to stay on his foot and he fell on his knees. Consequently the ground slapped his face.

He had minimized his opponent talent and was paying the price of his stupidity. He won't make that mistake again.

Around him everything began to darken even the sun that warmed his numb body. The lids weighed too much, he couldn't hold his eyes open. His hope was diluted into his growing anxiety. He was the ape-man, lord of the jungle, why was he scared? His last thought reached to his wife memory then his conscience fell into a dark hole of the oblivion.

………………..

Jane set Sam's gun on her back between her shirt and belt. With her free hands she could climb the stairs easily. Reaching the roof top she witnessed as a tall brunette woman opened fire against her husband. The detective was too much dumbfounded to even scream her terror. Pain and fear showed on his eyes when he pulled out the dart off his shoulder. It was an endless millisecond while he stared at his wife, then he ran zigzagging trying to evade the projectiles rain.

'_Why is he running away_?' Jane couldn't find a logical explanation as she seized the gun's handle screaming, "Freeze! New York Police!" Behind her Sam reached the roof edge without stopping to curse. His eyes grew wide when the sculptural brunette spun shooting against his partner. By reflex action Jane hurtled her aside when she fired the gun in her hand. Her marksmanship pierced the aggressor's shoulder. Without delay both detectives charged against the female aggressor. Jane's shoe kicked the weapon aside as her hands immobilized the bounty hunter's arms. The detective's leg made her lose the balance falling both to the ground. Sam could handcuff the suspect easily because Tarzan mate's elbow pressed the wildcat woman's face on the ground impeding any movement.

"Idiots! I'm…" She shrieked the name of a well-known bounty hunter. "My target has escaped because of you." Then she recited from A to Z each one of the insults used by the English language.

"Wow! There's must be a sailor talking inside this pretty lady…" Sam exclaimed hearing her endless lists of cursing words. "No soap would be enough to clean your mouth, lady…"

Detective Porter wasn't in the mood to hold this stupid situation much longer. "Shut up!" she screamed commanding at the sudden mute woman when Jane's bloodshot eyes approached dangerously to her with the gun in her hand. Even Sam stepped back hearing her said "You have shot a policewoman, you idiot bitch. Where do you want another hole?" Recovering her composure coldly she added. "You're under arrest."

"But he couldn't be far away…" The woman dared to mutter. "I shot him a dart... Probably he fainted already."

Her words angered even more, if it was possible, at the already furious female detective. "Didn't you know that everything you said could be use against you? Fool woman, better shut up." Sam advised pushing the prisoner to the stairs. "Ok I take her to the precinct. You better look for the monkey-boy."

Jane began to search some dart-tip all over the floor. She found one incrusted in the ground. The scent emanated by it was strong. That wasn't a good sign. This woman used to mix illegal substances with the sedative darts, that way she simply solved her physical strength disadvantage against the male criminals.

The detective took a plastic bag from her jacket packet, it wasn't good to touch it. She didn't know what kind the drug the bounty hunter used and if it could be absorbed by the skin.

Looking at the plastic bullet held by her hand she wondered why he ran away. Could he felt losing his control again? Would he be conscious? Unconscious? No human could equal his speed so probably he would be miles away right now. What direction would he have choose to escape?

Her eyes examined the open sky discovering a helicopter, the one the police used to watch the morning traffic. She needed help. Staring at the fly machine she dialed her cell phone. It was a risky idea but it could work out. While she spoke by her phone, the helicopter started to make circles around the area. This was the better way to find her husband as soon as possible. Now all she needed was time and some luck.

……………………………………….

A dark red tonality and deep silence surrounded the sleepy ape-man. After his nose perceived an offensive aseptic scent his ears detected a monotonous beep creaking at the right side of his head. Slowly his mind awoke realizing where he was, in a hospital room. How had he arrived there? There was no answer.

He tried to move but he wasn't able to, something held his wrist. When he tried to move his leg something held his ankles. It took him some seconds to realize that he was tied to the bed. It was an unpleasant feeling. His heart started to beat loudly. The last thing he remembered was the concrete floor under him. It seems that he had fainted. But, when?

He failed at his first attempt to draw up his lids. His physical weakness wasn't enough excuse to not try again, and again, so even it wasn't easy task, he slowly opened his eyes. But the only thing he could glimpse was the white of the ceiling blinding him.

Gradually his pupils got used to the intense light in the room. The exasperating tonality of the walls, ceilings and curtains was broken by the presence of cylindrical gray objects on the windows. Was it bars? Was he locked again?

His throat was dry, his head ached and he was lightly dizzied. It was like déjà vu. He had already gone through the same scene seven days ago when he woke up in another hospital room. The coincidences of both events were overwhelming and alarming. An incipient agitation perturbed his soul. His mental confusion was too similar. His last minutes disappeared from his mind, or it was hours? No matter how much he made tried, he couldn't remember what it happened during this lapse of time. Fear began to corrode his serenity.

Where was Jane?

Desperately he tried to open the mouth but his voice refused to go out. Just a guttural noise passed over his lips, but it was enough to get the nurse's attention. "Oh! You had wakened up again Mister Clayton." A familiar voice exclaimed mockingly. Tarzan leaned his head. The woman smiled at him. Where had he seen her face before? "You had only been unconscious one day."

His mind was a mess. He needed to know how his wife was. Making a huge effort he was able to falter lightly, "Is Jane ok?"

The nurse didn't answer quickly. She considered what she should say. It was a fragile situation, "Your wife is ok…" after a second she added, "…now…" (aca)

The fear stuck at his throat. "Please..." He pleaded.

Seeing his desperation she established. "You have the tendency to become violent when you're under a drug's effect."

"What had I done to her?"

The nurse smirked. "She is still in medical care but her state is stable. Her life wasn't in danger any longer." She confirmed his fears as her ring finger hit several times the needle of the syringe held by her right hand. Enough information had sprouted from her mouth for now. "You need this injection to be able to recover your health Mr. Clayton. You are useless if you get sick again." He nodded watching as the needle transferred the syringe's content to his blood torrent puncturing behind his right knee.

His lids started to feel heavy, as they carried a 200 pounds each one. Little by little the surrounding noises were going away until disappearing completely when he fell again into the unconsciousness. The nurse watched him sleep with his disturb expression face.

She threw the syringe into the trash can at the same moment that the door's room opened up. "Has the patient wakened up?"

"Not yet doctor." She answered showing her most professional facade.

The physician shook his head worried. "That is not good. I'll come later to check him. Thanks Helen" He said before closing the door.

"You're welcome." She beamed.

…

Kathleen made herself comfortable on the seat of the hospital corridor. It wasn't the best place to stay but, even she wanted to move her nephew to a privet clinic, as the circumstances were, she accepted reluctantly the situation. Richard had been there briefly thirty minutes ago. He received a phone call, cursed loudly and arguing about how useless he felt because he couldn't do anything for John, almost running, he went away.

She flashed an almost diabolical smile seeing him walk to the hospital's main exit. The publisher woman knew the reason of his concern. The flock of lawyers, hired by her had, begun to fly around her nephew's case. The mail that Jane had sent them had opened a few new roads of strategies to face the case. A particular one involved her brother with Wilcox in a suspicious way.

John's room door opened up and the aunt watched attentively the nurse leave the room walking through the police custody. Kathleen had escorted her nephew several times to Wilcox consulting therefore she recognized the woman walking out. The aunt frowned. She didn't consider appropriate that his former doctor's assistant could be his nurse. It sounded insulting to her mind.

Her gaze looked for some policeman around and her eyes quickly found Detective Sullivan chatting in a corner with other officials. Without a second thought she joined him. "Hi Sam."

Sam scowled hearing the publisher woman's voice, astonished that she even talked to him. "Hi." He replied distrustful. He knew each detail of the problem arisen between the two women in John's life. He couldn't look at that woman without feeling piques and nuisances. He had been the handkerchief on which Jane had cried when John began to date other women. There was not doubt in his mind about who had influenced on monkey-boy behavior pushing their rupture. He was sure that she cursed harder because it was just momentary.

It was hard to him to forgive anyone who made his partner suffer. He had to put aside his own displeasure to forgive monkey-boy in spite of her spilled bitter tears, but for this woman he didn't have any consideration. With icy tone he asked. "What can I do for you Ms. Clayton?"

She knew how to read voice's tones and body language, but it was better to be blind to his cold conduct. "How could be possible that doctor's Wilcox former assistant, Helen Singleton, is John's current nurse?"

Sam scratched ponderingly his chin. "I had no idea. But it is a disturbing fact." He confessed. He had promised to Jane to take care of the monkey-boy and he would keep his word. "I will talk to the doctor or whoever it needed to assign him another nurse."

"Thanks." She said "I will appreciate it."

"I don't do it for you lady, just for Jane." He heard his voice saying.

Sam shook his head walking away. Monkey-boy had been his partner's love election. The guy was odd, peculiar, eccentric, and he still wondered if he didn't have fleas, but she loved him. '_Powerful prove that love is completely blind_.' John's biggest disadvantage always had been his family. The Detective beamed. '_You can choose your friends but your family is a load that you should carry all your life_.' He sighed looking back, '_poor boy, he had a really heavy load_.'

….…. XXVI

It was an exhausted and crazy day. The lawyers, like hungry vultures waiting for money's mouthful, had flown around her all day. But at the end of the journey a fissure had opened on the intricate net where John's judicial problems hung. Detective Porter Clayton flashed a mocking smile remembering Richard's face when he tried to explain his connection with the Doctor and why he had deposited 2 million dollars into Wilcox's bank account.

But all this chaos was over now. The night came quickly and all that she wanted was to be near her husband. Jane leaned on his lips giving him a brief good-night kiss. It had been an arduous job to convince the doctors but they finally let her spend the night into his room. They didn't understand why he still didn't wakeup. One reason could be that his unique organism had reacted in a weird way to the bounty hunter's narcotic drug. There were still traces of the drug in his blood stream.

Jane allowed fall her tired bones on the couch strategically located in a corner of the room to watch over his sleep. Her lids were almost closed when she heard the door hissed. Through the darkness she sighted a shadow stepped silently inside. She scowled waiting for the light but the room kept into the dark. Jane observed the person that seemed to be a nurse walking directly toward John's bed. The nurse took a lantern of her apron's pocket as her fingers forced his lids to open. Focusing the light on his eyes she observed how his pupils reacted.

Slowly and silently Jane rose off the seat. Why this nurse didn't turn in the light? Jane's heart started to pound, but instead of showing herself she decided to flatten against the wall and to be unnoticed when she heard Helen's voice murmured annoyingly, "Come on Mr Clayton it's time to wake up."

…

Jane was completely frightened seeing this woman near her husband. She had witnessed when Sam had spoken with the doctors asking them to change the nurse. Why Helen was there? The possible answer was terrifying.

She should do something but watching that woman seated at the edge of his bed something inside her stopped her actions. Evidently Helen had not perceived her presence yet. It was an opportunity to obtain information. Maybe John was right and someone was with Larry that night. That woman could have witnessed what happened that night and held her mouth shut, but why?

"Come one Mr. Clayton open your eyes…" Helen repeated sighing resoundingly. "There you are…" She smirked when he slid his lids up in slow motion. "You're a good boy Mr. Clayton awakening on time."

John's shocked gaze tried to focus the distorted silhouette standing in front of him. "Jane?" he pronounced brokenly.

Helen beamed. "No Mr. Clayton. I'm sorry but I have a bad news for you." He kept silence so she lied wanting to see some pain's expression on his face. "She died about an hour ago."

'_Ok no one told me about my own death_.' hidden in the penumbra Jane heard the joyful tone of this woman. How was it possible that she could enjoy hurting him that way? But the calm of John's face was a sign that he didn't believe her, probably he was smelling her scent right now. She stepped ahead letting the light illuminate her face momentarily and afterward she returned to the dark corner again.

While the nurse didn't stop to relate the details of his wife's awful death, Tarzan sat up difficultly on the bed and looked at the nurse without hiding his curiosity. "You're the woman that visited me in the prison." He assured breaking her monologue. "I recognized your voice, and it took me some time to identify your scent. You are Larry's nurse, I can smell his aroma on your body even now."

She clapped laughing. "Bravo jungle lord. It was time that you realize who I am…" Jane looked at the door worried. Why anyone came if Helen was making noises inside his room? Desperately she wanted to grab her gum 'Damn!' but the number one condition to let her stay inside his room was no weapon. She needed to look for help. Her finger touched the cell phone. Ok she could use it but she had to mute it first. The detective pressed the redial button hopping that Sam didn't go to bed yet. When he answered the call he heard a cold unknown voice talking lower. "It was a pity that your aunt rushed the end of this game. But if I can't reach you, I can't complete my revenge. And I can't let it happen."

Tarzan shook his head throwing away the last traces of drowsiness. "What you injected into my blood didn't let me move but I was still conscious and could hear everything around me."

"Isn't that drug wonderful?" She mockingly remarked. "With a tiny dose the doctors couldn't detect because your body was impregnated with the narcotics of the dart." The victorious smile didn't fade off her face. "It is one of the advantages of working for Larry so much time… knowing your medical file and the special way that your organism reacts to certain substances, it was relatively easy to manipulate your medication." She puffed, "But your aunt had to ruin my amusement and now I had to hurry the end of it."

He moved one leg to the side of the bed, "Why are you doing this?" Next he slipped the other leg.

"Vengeance, simply bitter-sweet revenge." He watched her to pull out a gun. "You're attitude caused Larry's death. You have to pay for it."

Jane stepped ahead hearing his voice. "But Larry drugged me. I didn't know what I was doing. I can't even remember if I stabbed him."

She laughed loudly affirming. "For sure you can't remember, but please let me invite your wife to our conversation." Her finger pressed lightly the trigger of the weapon held by her hand. "Oh! Jane, please you had to join us. You are the main character to this tragedy." Her arm rose slowly aiming to the ape-man. "Imagine the surprise of your partner when he'll find your cadaver beside your uncontrolled husband. Do you recognize this gun? It's yours." Suddenly Helen shot drilling his shoulder, but no sound came out off the gun. "This one was just a warning. Please stand up near your savage man."

He stood motionless letting the red line of blood fell down his arm. Voiceless Jane walked near him observing the emptiness of his gaze. She had seen that look once, long ago, when he almost kill his uncle. The man standing beside her wasn't John Clayton Jr. any longer.

….

Jane's fingers squeezed tightly her husband's hand as her eyes pleaded him to remain calm. Her eyes slipped from John's face to the weapon held by Larry's lover. The Detective softened her expression. How could she hold her desperation, extreme anxiety and frustration, it was a mystery, but it was a singular chance and her cold cop brain wasn't willing to lose this opportunity. Her voice sounded free of stress when she stated. "The revenge is useless, Helen…"

"On the contrary, it's sweet." The nurse declared savoring the immediacy of her vengeance. "You will die by your husband's hands because he will suffer another attack of fury." Her hand took out a piece of paper off her pocket. "I found this into Larry's locker the same day he died." She tossed it on the bed commanding her. "Read it loud." But Tarzan's hand grabbed it first. A cruel grimace was drawn on Helen face as she affirmed. "Your first hunch was the correct one Mr. Clayton. They planned ran way together…"

His eyes stared at the first word for some seconds. Helen had lied several times before, but he couldn't help but fear. How could he resist another deception? Tarzan swallowed hard and started to read the letter written by Larry's hand. It was a love letter. He grunted reading the doctor's declaration of unconditional love to Jane. Using his usual words Larry portrayed him like a uncontrollable and wild man explaining why he, John, loose his control causing the mansion disaster. Tarzan frowned, "…nothing happened into the mansion."

Jane took the paper. While she read a mocking smile grew on her face. "The wording is the quite ambiguous to fit perfectly with any thing that could happen… The letter was dated at the same day of the murder…" He raised his head to look at Jane, "But he could write it before... I think he even anticipated that Kathleen would call him. This letter… this letter could be the link we need to tie the events of this night. He drugged you on purpose waiting for a incident inside the mansion. We only have to look for a link with Richard…"

Helen's eyes sparked evilly. "Oh! Well done detective… very good." She teased, "Richard gave him two million dollars with one only condition, Larry had to show that John Clayton Jr. wasn't in a normal mental state. He built a plan, a good one. Knowing the bond between both of you, he just needed to break it. So he played the man desperately in love with your wife…"

"He didn't fake it, he was in love with Jane…" Helen shook her head hearing his words, tears in her eyes. "To kill her will not bring him back to you… Besides, I will never harm her." He stated.

"It doesn't matter." Helen refuted ironically, "I made it once, I could do it twice…"

The detective looked at her confused. "What does it mean?"

The nurse didn't answer at once, she measured her action course. To describe what she did, wouldn't damage her revenge, just the opposite, it would reinforce it. "When Mr. Clayton went to Larry's consulting room, he wasn't alone."

"You were there…" Helen nodded at his affirmation.

"You broke through the window." Her voice volume rose at the same time that her anger was growing as the events of that night came back to her memory. "You said, over and over again, that he never could take apart your wife from you. At first he tried to calm you down but then you affirmed that he wasn't enough man for her. I laughed of that ridiculous statement, but he got mad." Her gaze got lost into the images of her recollections. "He started to describe how he would spend the rest of his life with that woman making fun of my feeling. He didn't care that I was near him… he kept talking and talking." she made a silence, "We had made love minutes ago on the couch but now he was drooling imagining how he would fuck that bitch." Jane watched at Helen's hand, it began to tremble as she narrated it. "He laughed seeing you stepped ahead and fell. He didn't stop to laugh seeing you unconscious on the floor. But he couldn't laugh when I stabbed on his stomach." A dark shadow crossed through her eyes. "I took his favorite knife, the one that he always keeps into the first drawer of his desk." She smirked. "It was poetic, I bathed his ugly thoughts with his own blood." She breathed heavily. "I can still see his dumbfounded face asking me why…"

"So John didn't kill him…" Jane interrupted her. "He was innocent all the time…

"Your husband is guilty for Larry death." The nurse affirmed turning the gun toward Jane. "If he didn't show up that day I wouldn't have found out the truth and Larry would be alive." Tarzan's eyes saw as Helen's finger began to press the trigger aiming at his wife. "He has to suffer the way I did…"

"Nooooo!" The bullet escaped from the weapon but it didn't arrive to its target, Tarzan's chest intercepted it when the door was open by Sam's hard kick. Helen couldn't shoot twice, a bunch of police officer opened fire over her. Detective Sullivan's eyes slid down and he couldn't be able to hold a tear when he saw his partner crying over her husband bloody body.

**Epilog**

The day had dawned cloudy but yet it refused to cry. Kathleen Clayton stood near the memorial tablet. The black marble reflected the figure of the nomadic clouds traveling across the morning sky. Her finger caressed the J chiseled on the stone surface. The anguish oppressed her heart each time she remembered his cerulean eyes pacing up and down through the mansion. Why life had turn out to be so frustrating? She hadn't an answer, all what she knew was that her family became smaller, and she couldn't do anything to stop it.

The green grew around his grave. The cycle of life should continue but it was difficult to be able to glimpse a light through her pain and agony. When her finger skirted the H a tear slid down over her cheek. Something had changed inside her throughout these last weeks forcing her to review some concepts into her values scale.

She felt guilty.

"Sorry John, I have failed. I couldn't hold my promise…" Slowly she kneeled down placing a bouquet of flowers on the grave.

She felt lonely.

Now she wasn't the powerful businesswoman, just a hopeless female whose family was disintegrating, dismembering, and she couldn't do anything but felt impotent in front of that situation. She was trapped into a silent net which she didn't know how to get out.

"You were smarter than me…" She spoke to the stone and then giggled. It felt strange to be speaking before a cold stone. "Here I am doing a ridiculous scene but I need your advice. What would I do if Richard goes to prison?"

"Nothing!" Jane's voice sounded exasperating at her back. "He deserves to be exactly where he is after all he has done to John."

The sharp voice of her nephew's wife startled her. She didn't expected company. "How are you?" Ok, that was a foolish question but her brain couldn't think anything better right now.

"I'm fine."

After the usual words of greeting an uncomfortable silence fell around them. Too much water had run under the bridge because of their opposite worlds. The breach had grown considerably in the last year but the aunt hoped, expected and prayed that there was something to be saved for both of them still. Kathleen was aware that she had to take the first step.

She stood up cleaning the dust on her knees with her hand, and then she faced the detective's undecipherable gaze. Jane stepped back. The Clayton was behaving oddly and the young woman didn't know how the aunt would react so the best shield she found was an inexpressive mask on her face. But nothing could prepare her for the words that she listened next.

"You should forgive me because I've been so rigid, pig-headed and even fool so many times…"

Simple Jane couldn't answer and her facial expression showed openly her astonishment.

The aunt began to laugh seeing her niece-in-law's confusion. It was a infectious laughter so the auburn woman couldn't help but join her.

From above two green-blue eyes watched the scene. Smiling he sighed. The white flag had been hoisted, maybe it was time to start over.

…

John Clayton Jr. allowed himself fall from the tall tree appearing unexpectedly behind both women. They screamed at the unison, "What the hell are you doing!"

He didn't answer, just bent down placing the wild flowers on his father's grave. He beamed mischievously seeing their fuming stare on him. His wife face showed clearly how worried she was. He foresaw her hand next move, she would slide up his T-shirt to make sure he wasn't bleeding again. He prevented it grabbing her littler hand with his own. Mockingly he said, "Not here honey…"

But she wasn't in a mood for jokes. "Do you forget your health condition?" She puffed, "You left the hospital seven day ago… You can't go jumping through the trees and you might fall off them!" Her fuming tone amused and touched him.

"I have been wounded worse …"

Hearing him she exploded. "I don't care about your Jungle Lord's tone mister…" Her finger approached to his nose threateningly, "just erase that stupid smile of your face. I almost lost you and that isn't funny. So if you…"

But he didn't let her finish her sentence sealing her lips with his. After a sweet minute he pulled back lightly exhibiting the most victorious smile on his scornful face. "Isn't she lovely when she gets angry?" He mockingly asked to his aunt.

Kathleen nodded smiling touchingly. "Let me take these flowers to your mom's grave and we can go to have breakfast together…" The entangled couple agreed and they walked away as the sun finally crossed the cloudily sky.

The day had dawned rainy but in that moment it began to fill with sunbeams, laughs and hope….

The End (Fin)


End file.
